Chocolate & Bubblegum: A Mello Love Story Sequel
by snooze2010
Summary: Left to fend off the world on her own, Jewel joins her brother's organization to stop crime. A difficult case arises & it's Jewel's job to solve it. But what happens when she runs into a person from her past that promises to complicate things? Mello x OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Whoa, here we go again! Excited? The third instalment to 'Chocolate and Bubblegum.' Whoop, whoop :D The sequel! The final chapter (per say)! Here it is! This WILL be the last Fic I write for this series, so I hope you guys enjoy it! In my own opinion this one is going to be pretty intense! The time line for this is less than one month long, just over three weeks, that's it! Don't think I can get a whole lot in, in less than a month? Wrong! Just you wait! :D

...Just a side note: As it is, I wanted to have it a full four weeks for this story, but the dates were off somewhere in there, *shrugs.*

So, wholly this is a long chapter... Might have to do this one in a two part-er. Yeah, I think I just might do that ;P

Enjoy all :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

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><p><strong>August 1, 2024. 1:00 PM... 23 Days Left.<strong>

"Jewel? Jewel are you with us?"

"Huh?" I looked up from the piece of paper I had been aimlessly doodling on. Eleven pairs of eyes were all trained on me, they were all waiting for some sort of response. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was listening." Not really...

"You've got to pay attention, this plan is crucial."

"Shut up Gevanni, I know what I'm doing," I snapped.

"Do you?" he asked, "'cause you've been zoning out this whole meeting." My lips curled back into a tiny snarl, I was losing my temper so easily these days, but I couldn't care less about that at the moment. Gevanni turned to Near and asked him, "Are you sure it's such a good idea to be sending her in on the front line? She's a loose cannon." I bared my glistening white teeth at Gevanni and then turned to face my brother, daring him with every ounce of my being to take me off the case.

"She's been trained for this, she'll be alright," Near stared straight at me as he answered Gevanni. He was daring me back; daring me to screw up the mission.

"It's your call Near," Gevanni relented. He knew as well as anybody else in the room that it was pointless to argue with my albino of a brother.

The room settled back down and chatter resumed. I didn't see the big deal in it all; it was just a standard operation. L wouldn't have even sullied his hands with this back in his day. L would've let the police take care of the mobs in the U.S. Near seemed to have a special interest in this particular mob though. I didn't know why, and I didn't really care why either.

After the disappearance of Kira all of eleven years ago, organized crime rates had gone through the roof and Near had more or less decided he would pick up the slack from what the police couldn't handle. I didn't really care either way what he did with his time; I had a job, I was making a living, that was all that mattered.

"If you screw up we all go down here! We're dealing with a bomb!"

I smashed my fist on the table in front of me, "We're always dealing with a bomb! Or, or a biowarfare weapon, or a killer Notebook, or something that's going to bring the world to an end. Get over it."

"Just because you're ready to die, doesn't mean the rest of us are."

"I'm not ready to die idiot; I'm just resigned to my fate."

"What's the difference?"

"If you think..."

"Excuse me," Near cut in at the head of the table, "if you two don't mind, would you mind taking your differences outside?" It wasn't a question, and Near had quite perceivably overemphasised the word 'differences.'

Gevanni and I both backed down and I went back to staring at my paper. Eleven years and I still couldn't get it right. Eleven years and I still couldn't draw what I wanted to see the most. I crumpled my paper quietly and glanced around the room.

Another office building in another city. They were all beginning to run together, they were all beginning to look the same. When I'd first signed on with Near I could pick out the subtle changes from building to building. I still could, there just wasn't much of a point to it I'd come to realise. I pushed my glasses further up the bridge of my nose and started picking non-existent threads from my clothing.

"There see! She's zoned out again!"

"I know what I'm supposed to do Gevanni," I called across the table without missing a beat. "I know my job. Now go do yours and leave me alone." Nobody else in the room was daring to speak up. Nobody else was going to question Gevanni's or my authority. Everybody else in the room was fairly new as far as it went; we had seniority on them, a lot of it. Sure they'd been here for years themselves, but Gevanni and I had been here from the beginning; we were the only originals left.

Halle had been killed by a stray bullet two years last April and the others who had worked with us on the Kira case had just decided they didn't like the pressure of working for the new L, or whatever else their reasons were. Maybe they had all ended up joining therapy groups.

I started chewing on my nail again, and realised that I didn't have any gum. I blamed my edginess on that - even though I knew that that wasn't the reason – and frantically searched my pockets but knew I wouldn't find anything sweet and bubbly to sooth my nerves.

"Alright, let's go over the plan one more time. This is going down tonight and we can't afford any mistakes." The room came to attention as a map of the city flashed up on the 72" monitor behind Near's head. "The deal is taking place at this warehouse at eight tonight," Near hit a couple buttons on the laptop in front of him and a glowing red circle appeared outside a small gray box on the map and the screen zoomed in. "It's a straight deal, a bomb for cash. Our objective is the bomb, not the money." Near waited to make sure he wasn't going too fast and everyone was paying attention. "We haven't been able to tap into any security at the warehouse and so we do not believe that there is any, however we will proceed with the utmost caution." Near turned his attention to me, "Jewel, you're going in first, we're sending you in at five so we can have eyes and ears in the place when the deal goes down."

I nodded, that was my mission. It was a stealth trip for me, but there was more. "It's your call if we go in or not. Yes, I'm going to be receiving the feeds, but you're going to be there. If anything seems off key, we walk away like it never happened. Got it?"

"Got it." I replied.

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><p>At four thirty I started getting ready. I curled my waist length silver braids into a bun at the back of my head. They'd get in the way if I wasn't careful; they were always getting caught in things as it was, but I couldn't bear to cut them. I slid out of my blue denim bellbottoms and slipped on my black, cotton cargos. I grabbed a pair of black ankle socks from my drawer and pulled my black steel toed boots from the closet. I replaced my baggy hoodie and black t-shirt with a tight black, ribbed muscle shirt. I pulled it long and low over my cargos. Finally I picked up my leather gloves from the top of my dresser. And then something caught my eye, something that WASN'T black; well, not anymore. I picked up the delicate, charcoal gray fabric and just held it for a second.<p>

This wasn't healthy, I knew that. If nothing else I ought to put it away; deep in a shoe box, buried in the back of a closet or under a bed or in the attic. I should get myself a new scarf. I didn't even wear the one I was holding any more. Any rough handling would send it unravelling in a second.

I set the scarf back on the dresser with a sigh, and went back to my closet. I pulled off a hanger my zippered vest with the high collar. Unfolded, the top of the collar would come to rest right below the tip of my nose; perfect. I pulled a toque from a shelf to the side and used it to cover my silver hair. I was ready.

I adjusted my glasses; cracked my back, neck and shoulders, and stretched. It was time to go.

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><p>It took me less than fifteen minutes to make it to the building I was supposed to infiltrate. I stalked over to the warehouse and found the emergency ladder on the side of the building. It wasn't a full-on fire escape, just a tall, thick ladder. The bottom rung was maybe six or seven feet off the ground to discourage passersby or teenagers looking for a cheap thrill from climbing it. I took a running leap at it and easily caught the last rung. I clambered up the ladder and onto the roof.<p>

There wasn't a door or a shed leading into the building, there weren't skylights waiting for me or a covered stairwell, there was just a little hatch in the ground. I curled my lips in annoyance. I'd had to deal with these many times before. There was probably going to be a padlock on the other side of the hatch to keep people just like me out, probably even an alarm system. Great.

I took each of my hands in the other, in turn, and cracked my knuckles. The whole system would be an annoyance, but nothing I couldn't deal with. I proved that without much difficulty.

Sixty seconds later I was inside the building.

I had to crawl down a step or two in order to make it onto a gridlock of I-beams crisscrossed along the whole length and width of the building. The iron girders were about six feet from the ceiling and about thirty from the floor. I tried not to think about my fear of heights as I steadily placed one foot in front of the other to make my way towards the center of the matrix. Hanging from the ceiling at five foot intervals were dome lights that came down about a half a foot below the I-beams.

An idea came to me then; if I were to position myself above the center of the room and right over top of one of the dome lights, I could see everything I needed too and be all but invisible at the same time. I remembered back to all the years of sports I used to play, particularly baseball. Whenever a fly ball was hit into the sun it would become untraceable until it fell out of the light. I would have the same effect in hiding behind one of the hanging lights. Anyone with enough sense to look up would get an eye full of light, and nothing else.

I skirted gingerly around the I-beams, trying to find the most optimal location to station myself. All my panning was based on the hope that both groups of people coming to make the exchange would meet in the center of the building. There were hundreds of boxes and crates piled high against each wall of the warehouse, so in theory the middle would be the best as there was a large area of clear floor space.

I got myself set up, I laid down flat against one of the beams and felt grit and rust rub off on my clothes and exposed skin. Highly unpleasant for the time being, but nothing a shower and some washing detergent wouldn't fix later on.

"Can you guys see everything?" I whispered into my miniature mic.

"We can see, and we're reading you loud and clear," Near came back.

"Alright, I'm breaking communication until I need to."

"Ten-four."

So I waited, a long time. After twenty minutes I was uncomfortable, after forty I was squirming and after ninety minutes I was ready to throw myself off the I-beam. I kept telling myself it was worth it though. It was better to get in early and wait than to not get in, or have some unexpected trouble and be late.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>So yeah, it's a little different than the Teaser I replaced, but it's more or less the same. Chapter 2 should be up already, it'll take you to about the same place the teaser ended, but yeah :) Hope you liked it!

Review :D

...And if you guys have any pointers for me, any ideas, or any way you think I can make my story better, don't hesitate to let me know :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Heyy guys, just making sure you all re-read chapter 1, it's the real chapter now, not the teaser. I did change a large portion of it.

In any case, here's chapter two :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

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><p><em>So I waited, a long time. After twenty minutes I was uncomfortable, after forty I was squirming and after ninety minutes I was ready to throw myself off the I-beam. I kept telling myself it was worth it though. It was better to get in early and wait than to not get in, or have some unexpected trouble and be late.<em>

I was starting to fall asleep when I heard the first noises. I was broken off in mid-yawn and instantly snapped to attention. Thirty feet below me, and out of my sight behind boxes to the left and right I heard chains jingle and doors open.

Two groups of men strolled in simultaneously. One from the left, and one from the right; one from the west and one from the east.

I leaned in closer and was tempted to ask Near, 'Are you getting this?' but I couldn't risk speaking and we had already determined that he was getting everything he needed to.

The group on the felt was more or less facing me. I could see all of their faces, and I almost wished I couldn't; they weren't much to look at. There were five of them, all ripped with the type of muscles that come from a bottle and not from hard work. All of them could've used a trip to the dentist and all of them had been to the tattoo parlour one too many times. The lead guy had a shaved head and a half a dozen piercings in his face; the one I assumed to be his second in command had just as many pricings, but also had a ponytail of long and greasy black hair, he was the one holding the briefcase.

The group coming in from the right I really couldn't see very well; I was staring at their backs. As a whole they all seemed to be slimmer and marginally shorter, but I couldn't really make a good call on heights when I was thirty feet in the air. Four of them were wearing black hoodies, all with the hoods up. One of the hooded characters was carrying a briefcase, and so was the guy I took to be their leader.

When my eyes fell over him I all but had a heart attack. My lungs hitched and locked and my heart went into arrhythmia. I felt my stomach in my throat as stared down at the choppy blonde hair that was twisting out from under his hood and his slight frame.

'That's just not possible,' I mouthed silently as I checked over their main man. I shook my head violently from side to side to shake the absurd thoughts from my mind. 'Breathe, just breathe,' I ordered myself and resisted choking on air. 'It just isn't possible,' I told myself bitterly as my breathing slowed, 'get over it, and do your job.'

I shook my head once more and stared down at the briefcases... there were three of them. One would hold money, one would hold the object of my interest, and I had no idea what the other briefcase held.

I didn't have to wait long to find out. While the two gang leaders closed the distance between themselves to talk quietly, the hooded one opened his briefcase. It appeared to hold nothing more than a sophisticated laptop. There was a visual screen and a keyboard. The man held the briefcase one-handed as he tapped away on the keys. I watched silently as dialogue boxes I couldn't read flashed up on the screen. I decided whatever he was working on wasn't as important as my mission and refocused my attention on the two men in the middle.

The muscled one motioned for his partner to bring over his briefcase. He clicked it open in front of the blonde and I saw stacks and stacks of money. As great as it would have been to take both briefcases, I now knew which one I needed to get my hands on; the one the blonde was carrying. That was my objective.

'Turn around. Turn around... ,' I shouted in my head at the blonde.

Suddenly, the one with the laptop stepped forward. He turned the briefcase he was staring into to his leader. They both glanced into it for just a moment... and then all hell broke loose.

The blonde spun around like I had been willing him too, the only thing was, he had a gun in his hand. I saw the light catch and reflect on the polished metal just a split second before the light I was perched over got blown out with a bullet.

I yelped in shock at the noise and shattered glass, and then again as the next two bullets flew past me. The third time I yelped it was in pain. Burning hot metal scored against my left cheek and I was rocked backward with the force. Normally that wouldn't have been terrible. In any normal situation I would have just tipped over... the only thing was that in any normal situation I would have been on solid ground and not balancing on an iron girder a half a foot wide, thirty feet in the air.

I shrieked with fear and my cry resounded through the building as the force and shock from the bullet tipped me over the edge of the I-beam and knocked my glasses off. They clattered to the floor below me.

It only took me a fraction of a second to consider the following facts. Gravity accelerated objects at a rate of 32 feet/second/second. I would fall 32.2 feet in the first second on my way towards the floor, but that was a moot point because I had only thirty feet to fall. Upon hitting the concrete floor from thirty feet in the air at a rate of acceleration of 32 feet/second/second my body would crush itself on impact. It would be a miracle if I survived.

Thankfully it also only took me a fraction of a second to regain my composure and have enough sense to reach out and grab the girder as it flew past me. I cried out again as I latched onto the bottom of the I-beam with shaking fingers and hands.

Adrenaline, like electricity coursed through my veins and I became hyperaware of everything going on. A barrage of gunfire erupted and echoed in the emptiness of the warehouse. Indiscriminate shouting turned the whole place chaotic. I felt bullets whiz past me; not good. If I was hit in the leg or waist I might be fine. If I was hit in an arm, or anywhere where vital organs were placed, well I was screwed.

I fought to pull myself up, back onto the beam. Swinging there like I was, I was a sitting duck. I hoisted myself up and worked a second to get my balance and steady my breathing and shaking hands. Then I stood up and took off running. My speed was a mix of hastiness to get out of the building, but also caution because the I-beams were only so wide, and because I couldn't freaking see anything. My glasses were gone.

"Don't let her escape!"

"Stop her!" I heard between gunshots.

"Hey, wait a minute!" someone shouted as an apparent afterthought. The voice seemed to click at some ancient memory bank in the back of my mind, but there was no way I was sticking around to see what was going on. The bullets were still flying past.

I was lucky though. It sounded like the shooters were all using handguns; Glocks I guessed, or maybe semi-automatics. Those types of guns were fine in and of themselves, but really only useful for close ranges, and stationary targets. Thirty feet in the air and skirting around like a madwoman it would take a lucky shot or an expert to hit me. And if these guys were buying a bomb to do their dirty work, they probably weren't experts in guns.

I jumped from I-beam to I-beam trying to make my way back to the service entrance before I got hit. Assuming there were ten men, each with one Glock at seventeen rounds each that was one hundred and seventy bullets. Experts or not, it was only a matter of time before I got hit with that 'lucky shot'. I had to make it to the roof. Once I was on the roof there would be another problem though. I would be surrounded. There was only one way to get down and I'd be an open target if any one of the men inside made it to the ladder before I could get down.

I pulled myself through the opening and onto the roof. The gravel crunched under my boots as I raced for the west side of the building.

"Jewel. Jewel come in," my earpiece buzzed and cracked. There was more static than actual words in my ears. I figured any number of things could have gone wrong with the connection during the chaos in the building.

"Send in the backup!" I shouted into my communicator as I risked a glance over the edge of the building. I saw men pouring themselves out of the steel doors and a split second later I saw men dressed like members of a S.W.A.T. team running after them.

And then I saw it; a mess of blonde hair. The man was running away from me, towards a motorbike and he was still holding the briefcase. Score.

I grabbed onto the metal side rails of the emergency ladder and let myself slide all the way down to the ground. I hit a little more heavily than I would have liked, but it wasn't anything that was about to slow me down. I heard the motorcycle start up twenty yards away and made a B-line for it.

I was lucky I put the best part of the last eleven years into training. I caught the motorbike before it could get up to speed and was able to reach out and grab the briefcase that had been hastily and carelessly tied down on the back. The ties gave easily under my force, but there was more I needed. I had the briefcase; I could work on my own private agenda now.

"HEY!" I shouted behind me at one of the S.W.A.T. members who was clambering up behind me. I tossed the briefcase at him, made sure he had caught it, and then tore after the blonde leader who was getting away.

The traffic was heavy, but the sidewalks were light and I was running alongside the motorcycle inside of a minute.

It made an unexpected sharp turn left and I had to dart into oncoming traffic from both directions to continue my pursuit. Blaring horns and screeching brakes echoed behind me as continued after the bike.

The cyclist made it onto an emptier street and after a moment it was a block ahead of me and making another left. I decided to take a chance and turn left where I was, hoping that I would be able to catch up with it the next street over.

I had gambled correctly, and caught back up with my prey in no time at all.

The chase continued for another five blocks. My lungs were ready to bust but I wouldn't stop, my legs were ready to collapse beneath me but I wouldn't give up the chase. With one final burst of speed and agility I leapt at the side of the bike and sent it, its rider and myself tumbling and scraping onto the sidewalk.

I was panting and wheezing, and could barely lift myself off the pavement but I managed I crawl over to the unmoving cyclist as wary pedestrians shifted out of the way of the wreck.

With my bloody and road burned arms I pulled at the riders helmet.

I tore it off and stared at the face of a man I didn't know.

"SHIT!"

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Ooh! What's going to happen next? Ha-ha, you can't hate, you know you love cliff-hangers ;P


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** I don't actually have much to say today :P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

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><p><em>The chase continued for another five blocks. My lungs were ready to bust but I wouldn't stop, my legs were ready to collapse beneath me but I wouldn't give up the chase. With one final burst of speed and agility I leapt at the side of the bike and sent it, its rider and myself tumbling and scraping onto the sidewalk.<em>

_I was panting and wheezing, and could barely lift myself off the pavement but I managed I crawl over to the unmoving cyclist as wary pedestrians shifted out of the way of the wreck._

_With my bloody and road burned arms I pulled at the riders helmet. _

_I tore it off and stared at the face of a man I didn't know._

"_SHIT!"_

"W-what's g-going on?" some poor, startled, middle aged man asked me.

"Who the hell are you?"

"M-me! W-w-what about y-you?"

"Damnit!" I muttered angrily as I pulled myself up off the sidewalk. 'Damnit,' I cussed to myself. What had happened? What had gone wrong? This wasn't even close to the guy I had been chasing earlier. There's no way I could have been so off. I listened intently for the sounds of another motorcycle, but between the gabbing onlookers, the city noises and my own pounding heart I couldn't hear much of what I needed to. "Damnit."

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><p>"What happened Jewel!" was the question that greeted me when I finally made it back to our headquarters.<p>

"Your mom's condom broke, that's what happened Gevanni." I walked over to the far end of the room, being especially careful not to bump into anything. I reached my desk and slid open the top drawer. After just a moment I pulled out a glasses case and replaced on my face, the glasses I had lost in the shoot out. Much better; I had been starting to come down with a migraine. I had numerous pairs of spare glasses stashed around the city. This happened to me quite a lot.

"Don't get fresh! This mission was a complete failure!"

"And you're blaming me!"

"I'm blaming you!"

"Quiet both of you," Near cut in. Gevanni and I just continued to glare at each other. "How did they know you were there Jewel?"

"Didn't you see? They hacked into my feeds." That had to have been the explanation. The one with the laptop had somehow hacked into my frequency and channelled my feeds onto his computer. There were small nods of agreement around the table; it made sense. "Now, what do you mean a 'complete' failure?" I finally asked. I had gotten them the briefcase, that's what the objective was.

"We didn't get the bomb," Near answered flatly, and Gevanni and I finally took our respective seats around the long, rectangular table.

"Shit, I must have grabbed the wrong briefcase," I sighed as I realised what must have happened. They must have done the switch while I was still inside the building, while I was being shot at or just after I had made onto the roof.

But what was said next had me thinking otherwise. "You got a briefcase? Gevanni asked hopefully, and instantly the mood around the table improved. Smiles and optimistic eyes focused in on me instead of expressions of disappointment and disdain. Near's own expression was questioning. Maybe they thought I had an additional briefcase, a different one than that which I had given to the member of the S.W.A.T. team.

"Just the one from the blonde. I passed it off to the other guy. What was in it then? The money?"

The mood shifted again, to one of confusion. "Jewel, we never got ANY briefcase," Near explained and I felt the blood flush away from my face.

"And you're asking ME what happened? Guys! I got a briefcase! I passed it to a member of the S.W.A.T. team before I took off after the other guy. I had it in my hands and I passed it to one of ours!"

Pairs of people around the table shared awkward glances and small mutterings. They had no idea what I was talking about. "S.W.A.T. never gave us a briefcase."

"You need to call them to find out what happened to it Near!"

"You should have just stayed with it," Gevanni charged.

Another bout of glaring at each other ensued.

"Listen," Near cut in again, "I'll call the S.W.A.T. team. The rest of you, there isn't anything else you can do here right now. All of you go home."

No one moved for a second, and then, like a puppet master was manipulating all our strings, we all got up and moved at once. I decided to take the stairs down to the main floor, rather than ride down twenty stories in an awkward sardine can with fifteen other people that may or may not blame you for the day's problems.

I made it down half a flight before I heard someone calling me.

"Jewel, just wait a second!"

There was no way I could deal with this right now.

"What Gevanni?"

"Look, I think we need to talk about-"

"You know what, its fine. I don't want to talk about it right now.

"But-"

"Not right now!" I asserted, putting my hands up in a defensive gesture. "Not. Now." I sun on my heels, dropped down to the next floor and let myself out of the stairwell. I didn't want Gevanni following me all the way down to the first floor. I skirted around to the far end of the building and took the second set of elevators. I needed time alone; I needed time to think.

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><p>The motorcycle issue was still playing in the back of my mind. I wasn't worried about the bomb, about Gevanni, I wasn't even worried about my job. What worried me the most was how could I have completely mistaken my target. The only time I had lost sight of the bike was when it had turned a block ahead of me. But I had seen it on the other side! Unless...<p>

I made my way back to the side street where I had first lost contact with the motorcycle and its rider. It was much later in the evening now, and the pavement and buildings were wearing a burnt orange hue from the street lights. The traffic density was already low for this part of town, so this late at night there were only a few stray cars and trucks driving around.

I stood in the middle of the sidewalk for a good five minutes, just staring and wondering what the heck I was looking for, wondering what the heck I hoped to accomplish. I wanted to leave and just go home, but some nagging thing inside kept telling me that I couldn't have been that wrong. Who was the guy on the motorcycle? How had he magically disappeared?

I stared up at the towering building above me. Like the warehouse I had been in earlier, it looked more or less deserted, with only a handful of lights on throughout the place. The windows on the bottom floor were boarded up and covered with graffiti. The windows on the second to the fifth floor were all shut tightly, and had dark curtains behind them. I guessed that it was an old hotel or an apartment that was going out of business.

Then I had an idea; I looked down instead of up. I checked the street below my feet, walking up and down the length of it over and over until I saw them. Two skid marks on the right side of the street, almost halfway down the road. One skid mark was leading into the street, signalling an abrupt stop. The other was right beside it and leading out of the street, signalling an abrupt start. There had been two motorcycles and they had both been significant.

The second motorcycle, the one that I had eventually caught had been in on it. The whole thing had been a setup in case the original had been followed. "Damnit!" I cussed and punched the sidewalk. I had let them both get away.

This was turning into a really terrible day... and it was about to get worse.

In the corner of my eye I saw a flicker of movement. My head snapped to the street just in time to see a slight figure in a hooded sweatshirt take off running in the opposite direction. It was the same person I'd seen earlier today! It was the guy who had hacked into my surveillance feeds at the warehouse. But more than that... it was Matt.

I was sure of it! My heart leaped in my chest, and my brain screamed at me the impossibilities of the situation, but I knew! I knew it was Matt.

I raced after him without a moment's hesitation.

I ran with all my might and after only a few seconds I was less than fifteen feet behind him.

"Matt!" I called, and for just a brief second the guy in front of me lost his footing. "Matt," I tried again, "please stop!" I couldn't keep shouting after him. It was taking all the oxygen I could pull in just to keep up with this man. I couldn't lose him! I had to keep up, I had to catch him! He was Matt, and Matt was alive! I was sure of it! My heart was pounding and adrenaline like liquid electricity poured into my blood stream as I gained a few strides. "Please!" I cried.

The man slowed for just a second, and I was sure I was going to catch him. However, without breaking stride his hand came back holding a gun.

One shot; two, three. I instinctively slowed my chase to avoid being riddled with bullets, but once the guy stopped shooting I was on his tail again, but he made a quick left turn into a dark ally in front of me.

I couldn't lose him!

I made the turn less than five seconds after he did, but when I entered the ally I saw no one. A metallic clanging above my head however had me glancing up, where I found the male frantically climbing the fire escape of the building to my right.

I started after him, but lost time around ever twist of the staircase. By the time I reached the rooftop he was nowhere in sight. There were no adjacent buildings close enough to jump to, no fire escapes, ladders, poles or drainpipes on any other side of the building. There were no windows, no unlocked doors; no conceivable place where my target could have disappeared to. I spent twenty minutes on the top of that roof before I finally admitted to myself that somehow the guy I was chasing had slipped past me.

"C'mon Jewel, get a grip. That wasn't Matt, and that wasn't Mello you saw earlier. They died. Accept that. They're gone!" I yelled at myself. "They're dead and buried. There isn't anything you can do about it. L is dead, Mello is dead and Matt is dead. That was the price. That was the price of bringing down Kira." It hurt to say that to myself. To have to hear that they were gone, and to have to hear Kira's name again; to bring it all back up after all these years.

But then there was that feeling again. That nagging feeling that wouldn't go away; that nagging feeling that kept asking me, 'But what if they are alive?'

* * *

><p>I decided to satisfy my own curiosity; there were some things I wanted to find out. I went back to our organizations headquarters and logged myself into one of the computer mainframes on site and began hunting around. I was looking for information on Mello and Matt, specifically information pertaining to their deaths.<p>

I waded around some security clearance pop-up's and fished around in the older Kira investigation files... the ones of course that had survived. For security reasons, very little data was ever stored on the computers for too long.

'No Information' flashed on the screen.

I went deeper. I dug around the ancient files, the corrupted files, I went as far down as I could go, and then went further still.

No Information

No Information

The Data You Seek Does Not Exist

No Information

These Files Have Been Erased

Security Access Required

No Information

This wasn't possible. How was it that every single smidgen of data surrounding Mello and Matt had disappeared?

I felt my eyes start to burn, but told myself it was just because I was concentrating too hard.

I tried using my outlet to hack into Wammy's old system:

No Information

"No!" I whined silently.

"What are you doing in here Jewel?"

You've got to be kidding me! "It's only my concern Gevanni," I snapped, completely beyond the point of frustration.

"If you have to use the organization's computers to find what you're looking for, I'm pretty sure it concerns the organization."

"Oh, and do you represent the organization?" I had yet to turn around to face him.

"What are you doing Jewel?"

He was going to think I was crazy. He was going to report me to Near and have me removed if I told him, but I couldn't help myself, "I saw them. I saw them today! They're alive! Mello and Matt are alive!"

"So what are you saying? You're chasing ghosts now?"

I wasn't going to take that from him. I packed up my sparse belongings and left the building in an absolute furry. I made it back to my apartment forty minutes later and found a white and red rosary hanging on my door.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Hands up: How many of you think I should continue with the Tri-Chapter Reader Review Poll? I really liked it, and it encouraged reviews, but at the same time I feel like you guys might be getting bored with it.

...Also, sorry for keeping Mello from you all for so long! I'd hate me if I did this to myself too! Next chapter I promise!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** ^_^ Your guys' reviews are so awesome! They really make me want to do my best!

BTW, this chapter was getting to be pretty freaking long, so I broke it down into two. Hope that's cool with you guys :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

**August 2, 2024. 12:21 AM... 22 Days Left.**

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><p>"<em>What are you doing Jewel?"<em>

_He was going to think I was crazy. He was going to report me to Near and have me removed if I told him, but I couldn't help myself, "I saw them. I saw them today! They're alive! Mello and Matt are alive!"_

"_So what are you saying? You're chasing ghosts now?"_

_I wasn't going to take that from him. I packed up my sparse belongings and left the building in an absolute furry. I made it back to my apartment forty minutes later and found a white and red rosary hanging on my door._

This, wasn't funny anymore.

I cupped my face in my hands and just stood there for a minute trying to keep my brain from having an aneurism. "This isn't happening. Thisisn'thappeningThisisn'thappeningThisisn'thappening." This was all too much! There was no warning. There were no 'Hey, today is really going to mess with your mind' notifications or Post-It's anywhere.

...If this was some sick joke, someone was going to die.

I crept up to my door and listened through the wood. No sound. I removed the rosary from the door knob and took the knob in my hand; it was unlocked. I listened again, but all I could hear was my ragged breathing and my heart pounding. I opened the door a crack, braced myself, and then opened the door a hair more. With every last bit of courage I had I threw the door back and checked frantically around a seemingly empty room.

Not all was as I had left it.

At first glance nothing was missing, but something quite peculiar caught my eye. My Play Station consol, usually kept in the bottom cupboard of my TV stand, was sitting out on the carpet and a controller was suspiciously leading to an empty couch. The TV was on, but the sound was not. A continuous loop of Call of Duty was playing on the screen.

Without taking my eyes off the scene before me I reached my long pale arm into my coat closet for my baseball bat. It wasn't there.

"Yeah, actually, I took the liberty of removing that. A concussion was not something I wanted today."

Matt.

Somehow I figured nothing Matt or Mello could come up with would surprise me anymore.

A mop of shaggy red hair lifted itself off the couch that was facing away from me. Matt turned and I my silver eyes met his green ones and I was speechless for only the fifth time in my life. In all of my extensive vocabulary I had no words for this situation. I eventually settled with, "I knew they should have had me committed."

Matt helped me to the couch and I sat there for ten minutes pinching the bridge of my nose while Matt made me tea and asked every other minute whether or not I was alright.

"Anything else I can get you?" he asked when he brought me my steaming cup of jasmine tea. I had a serious love affair with jasmine tea.

"Bubblegum," I mumbled as I sipped down a piping hot mouthful of the glorious beverage.

Without needing to ask me where it was, Matt went over to my desk drawer and tossed me a full pack. I shoved four sticks in my mouth before I even remotely started to calm down. "Ess-plain," I finally said after a minute, a bulging ball of bum protruding under my cheek.

Matt sat in the armchair opposite me and sighed before speaking. I noticed that there wasn't much, if anything at all, which had changed about him. He looked older of course, but still held a slight build and a carefree look in his eyes. I could tell after only ten minutes he was still inherently laid back.

"There isn't much to explain Gem," he told me. "I don't know what you want to know."

"You're alive Matt! How? Why? What's going on? Are you a part of the crime syndicate Near's organization I looking into? Is..." I didn't know if I could say it.

"'Is Mello alive too?'" Matt asked for me.

"Is he?"

Matt dug in his vest pocket then, a vest that was almost an exact duplicate for the one I had last seen him in, except for that it had obviously changed with the passing styles. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes for himself and then fished in another pocket and pulled out a battered pair of glasses. "I'm sorry kid, they didn't quite make it," he tossed the glasses to me.

I caught them easily and examined them closely. The prescription glass had cracked in one of the lenses and completely fallen out in the other and the arms on both sides were loose. If thirty feet had done this to my glasses, I shuddered at the thought of what the fall would have done to me.

"I've got an appointment with Mello in a half an hour," Matt mentioned as he stuck a cigarette in the corner of his mouth. I wasn't pleased at the idea of him still smoking and I really wasn't pleased at the idea of him smoking in my house; but I didn't say anything. "Same place I ran into you earlier," he continued.

Matt was still digging in his pockets; looking for a lighter I assumed. I dug in my own cargo pocket and tossed him mine. "Don't burn the place down," I said coldly and left to go find Mello.

* * *

><p>I made it back to that infamous side street with five minutes to spare. I used that time to get positioned in an inconspicuous crack in the city subsystem.<p>

Mello showed up right on time.

I couldn't believe my eyes, and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to. It was him, it was Mello.

Hold me.

He was everything I remembered and then even better. Mello's golden hair was choppy under his hooded coat. The sky was dark, and the orange glow from the street lamps distorted colours and shadows, but I could still see the glorious cerulean blue of Mello's eyes.

Kiss me.

My heart screamed with excitement in my chest. Mello was alive. Mello was standing there before me like he had so many countless times before. He was the same Mello I had met at Wammy's, he was the same Mello I had met again four years later on the other side of the country. He was the same Mello I had watched burn in a horrific fire, and yet here he was.

Love me.

I took a chance. I stepped out from my hiding place into the light. My breathing was ragged and shallow and I had to fight to keep myself from falling over from the lack of oxygen. Mello saw my motion and turned to face me.

My eyes met his and my heart leaped again in my chest. My ribs were beginning to ache and my toes and fingers were going numb, but I was willing to endure a million times that pain to have this moment.

The tingling started at the tip of my nose and worked its way along the crests of my cheeks and along to my ears, behind my eyes and down my neck.

"Mello," I whispered, and then all noise stopped.

No noise, no sound, no motion. There was no blood pounding in my ears, no electrical buzz from the street lights. The traffic noises stopped and the Earth froze up in time and space. Everything stopped in the world except us.

"Coffee then?" Mello asked, and the world restarted.

Mello turned away and I followed after him. We found a tiny cafe in the middle of nowhere that was miraculously still open after midnight. There were only three other customers in the whole place. One was a frumpy and crinkled business man too responsible to go to the bar, but not responsible enough to just go home. His tie was loose around his neck and he had a five o'clock shadow which was growing steadily longer in the wee hours of the morning.

The other two were a pair of police officers who were, no doubt, on their break. They had the kind of light in their eyes that was already dimming and signalling exhaustion although it was probably only halfway through their shift. They had two mugs in front of them and they each had a plate with the remains of a donut on it. The barista had found her way over to their table and was refilling their mugs.

When the hostess saw us her eyes lit up and a cheery smile plastered itself on her face. "Oh, good morning." I suppose it was the morning... technically. "You can seat yourselves if you like. I'll be with you in a minute." She was probably overjoyed to have new customers this late at... this EARLY in the morning.

Mello and I grabbed a booth tucked away in the far corner of the cafe. I was a little worried when we were passing the police officers; knowing Mello's habits I could only assume he was wanted for something. But the pair paid us no mind.

We sat in silence for a moment until the waitress came. I asked for a cup of tea; Mello pulled out a bar of chocolate and shook his head at the girl. Some things never change.

After ten minutes the silence between us was getting uncomfortable.

"Mello, I-"

"Look, you need to stay out of this business," Mello cut me off. After eleven years that's all he had to say to me? He might as well have just slapped me across the face.

"Mello, I-" I tried again, but with the same results.

"You really caused a lot of problems by interfering today, you know that? And that stupid Matt had to go and find you and PURPOSEFULLY bring you back here. That was really smart of him."

Mello's words hurt, but still, being able to hear his voice again after all this time instilled an inner peace in me.

"Matt was kind enough to tell me. Matt cared about me and my feelings when apparently you don't! Don't you dare fault him for that."

"If Matt really cared about you, he wouldn't have said anything. He would have gone on and let you believe that we were still dead."

"Why?" I asked solemnly.

"I didn't want you around."

I pretended that what he said didn't affect me. "So what else is new Mello? You've never wanted me around unless you could gain something from me."

"So why won't you get that through your thick skull and leave me alone?"

I glared angrily at him. I felt a small snarl tug at my mouth but I kept it in check. I pushed away from the table, threw down a ten from my pocket onto the table, and headed for the door. If he wanted me to leave him alone, well fine then... at least that's what I was telling myself.

The strands of my silver hair that had fallen out of my bun throughout the chaos of the day got caught in the cool night breeze and glinted in the moonlight. I stared up at the moon and envied it. The only thing the pale orb in the night sky ever had to worry about was pulling the tides. The moon never had to worry about falling in love; it didn't have to worry about someday the Earth deciding to leave it and find another moon or solar system to spend time with. Lucky moon.

"Jewel!" I heard him call after me. "Jewel."

Call me one more time I dared silently. I wasn't in the mood for this bullshit anymore. It felt like my mind had turned off, like it wasn't working anymore. No more data could be processed tonight. System failure imminent.

"Jewel!"

That did it.

I stopped walking and heard Mello come up on my left. When I knew he was within striking distance I wound up for a right hook.

I should have known better.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So, it's uh, -21 degrees outside and snowing, and for whatever reason my heater is refusing to do its job properly. My nose and fingers are freezing!

But then, THIS IS CANADA! And we freaking embrace the cold! MUHAHAHAHA!

In Soviet Canada, we bite the frost!

...but no, seriously. Someone from California and or Florida and or Hawaii... come get me :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Part two of the last chapter. YAY :D :D

Also, just as a bit of a warning, this chapter gets a little citrusy at the end ^_^ ...just a little ;P

**August 2, 2024. 2:37 AM... 22 Days Left...**

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><p><em>I stopped walking and heard Mello come up on my left. When I knew he was within striking distance I wound up for a right hook. <em>

_I should have known better._

Mello was expecting it, like he had been each and every other time we'd gotten in a fight. He caught my fist in his hand held it. I wasn't going to back down though, I feigned a felt hook, and instead kicked his feet out from under him. Mello fell back hard and his momentum carried me with him. I rolled once on the sidewalk but scrambled back up on my feet in a hurry. Mello was on his feet as well and this time, ready for a serious fight.

Thirty seconds into the fight my heart rate and blood pressure had increased exponentially. Two minutes into the fight my lungs were struggling to pull in enough air and my movements were getting slow and choppy. Five minutes into the fight my arms and legs burned and ached and my cognitive awareness was reaching zero.

Just don't get hit, I told myself over and over. Being caught I could usually escape from, but taking a hit? Not so much. That's not to say I was weak, or couldn't hold my own. In fact, I had been trained to take a lot more damage than most people these past years, but I definitely had a few weak spots.

But as it turned out, being hit isn't what was going to lose this battle for me. I had taxed my body to the extremes today; physically, mentally and emotionally. First with the warehouse operation, chasing motorcycles, chasing Matt, and on top of all that it was almost three in the morning.

The last of my adrenaline and energy was seriously low and I was seriously slowing down. I went for one more left straight. Bad decision. My muscles seized and froze and for a split second, I couldn't move. Mello caught my left wrist and as I went to pull my hand back, Mello's slipped, but caught again on an inconspicuous golden band on my fourth finger. Mello didn't look down at it, but narrowed his eyes at me. The expression on my face I'm sure gave me away instantly. It was one of defence and defiance.

I wanted to keep up my air of insolence; but I just couldn't stand anymore. I collapsed forward into Mello's arms. The blood pressure and pounding in my head alone was giving me a serious migraine. I shivered and convulsed in the cold night air; it was like walking from an intense workout into a cold shower.

Mello held me indignantly for a moment and then finally looked down at my hand. When he saw the inoffensive object he dropped my hand the way he might a scalding pot of boiling water. I stumbled back and tried to hold onto whatever dignity I had left.

It was Mello's gaze turned defensive then, and he looked up at me. "You're still going around picking fight's eh? Is it just me, or did you become even more unstable after the Kira case? One would think that after that whole business was over, everything would have smoothed itself out."

I straightened up, shook off his remark and responded with, "Oh yeah, because losing four out of five of the most important people in your life to a crazed serial killer is something people just get over. That wouldn't make anybody unstable." I waited for a retort but got none so I continued, "And then, having two of those said four, two of the most important people in your life die right in front of you without being able to help them, it's just so good for your soul," I spat sarcastically. "And THEN, having those two people seemingly come back to life... yeah, you're going to hold it against me if I have a little left over adrenaline I need to burn off?"

"One: we didn't die right in front of you. Two, people lose people they care about all the time. People die, people leave and lose contact, that's what happens Jewel."

"You died in a fire Mello! A FREAKING FIRE!" I hissed harshly but quietly. I didn't need to draw the unwanted attention of any of the patrons or the hostess. "Do you remember how my parents died Mello? Do you remember telling me that I wouldn't ever have to be afraid again because you were there?" I waited for a response but none came. "I went to your funeral Mello. I've seen your grave. You know where it is? I do! I went there on the anniversary of your death every year for eleven years. You should go see it Mello, you should see it and maybe get some idea of what it did to me to see you buried there." I glared at him, daring him to go. "Do you have any idea what this whole Kira thing did to me period? Every time I turned around I was seeing Light Yagami. Every time I saw someone writing in a notebook my heart would jam up in my chest. I couldn't be around candles, lighters, matches. If someone got too close to me with a lit cigarette I started having palpitations."

"Well maybe it's time for you to grow up and move on then. I was strong enough to handle it,"

"Strong enough to handle what Mello? From what I saw you didn't handle anything. You just ran away." I turned to walk away and leave myself when an interesting thought crept its way into my mind like a spider. "That bastard," I paused, I almost couldn't bring myself to say it, to believe it. "He knew didn't he? He knew this whole time."

Mello's pause was longer than mine had been, "I'll say one thing for that freak of an albino, he sure can keep a secret."

There were a lot of reasons that I didn't like my brother. This was, so far, the only reason he had ever given me to full on hate him.

I didn't say anything back to Mello but instead, turned and started walking towards our organizations headquarters; I heard Mello following me the whole way but refused to acknowledge him. The whole way I wore a cool and collected expression. I wore that expression to the front door, I wore it in the elevator and through the hallway, I wore it all the way into Near's conference room where I found him sitting at the head of the table, building a gigantic fortress out of dice. It looked as though he was almost done too. It would be a terrible shame if anything happened to it.

With the plane expression on my face, I walked past Gevanni (the only other person in the room,) stepped onto a chair, onto the table, and with all my rage sent ever last die flying off the table with one forceful kick.

Before Gevanni could react I placed my steel-toed boot on Near's chest and gave a firm shove backward. My stunned brother tipped over in his chair and did a summersault before coming to a rest sitting up against the back wall.

I glared angrily at my brother from the tabletop until I felt two arms wrap around me and lift me off the table and onto the floor.

"Let go of me Gevanni!" I ordered. When he saw that I wasn't going to attack Near further he released me.

"He asked me not to tell you," Near said stoically and glanced at the monitors on the far side of the room. Over the security feed I saw Mello waiting coolly across the street.

"I don't give a damn what he asked, you arrogant freak, you tell your sister shit like that." I was pretty sure that was the first time in my entire life that I had ever played the 'Sister Card' and I was pretty sure if there was ever a time to play that card, this was it. I shot Near one last accusatory glance before I turned to leave.

"Still believe in ghosts?" I asked Gevanni, motioning to the monitor as I passed him on my way out of the room.

I walked casually back to the elevator and from the elevator back out the front door. Mello was still waiting for me. I didn't acknowledge him. Why should I afford Mello any common courtesy when he hadn't even had the decency to let me know that he was still alive?

After having him shadow me silently for over ten minutes I finally asked, "Are you going to follow me all the way home? You know, my landlady doesn't let me keep strays that I pick up off the street."

"Real funny Jewel."

Matt was gone when we got back to my place. I knew I'd see him again. If for no other reason than, after knowing that he was alive, I'd search for him to all corners of the Earth if that's what it took.

Mello let himself in after me and walked casually over to my book shelf to peruse my collection.

"That's it then? You just didn't feel like telling me you were alive?" I asked flatly.

Mello stopped halfway along my bookshelf and gingerly removed a dusty, leather bound volume from my alphabetized 'S' section. With his back still towards me he examined the tome; flipping open the front cover and skimming the pages.

I didn't want to ask him what book he had, I didn't want to ask him what he was doing. Asking implied interest, interest implied a degree of attachment... I was not remotely attached to Mello. At least, not to a degree where he needed to know about it.

Finally he turned towards me and slid the volume across the table to me.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Volume 1 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I knew this book inside and out, I had read it at least a dozen times. The first story was notably, 'The Adventure of the Empty House,' in which Dr. Watson famously recalls how Holmes seemingly came back to life after an all but certain death.

"Nice try," I muttered quietly, "but Holmes only waited three years before revealing himself to Watson, not eleven."

"You're going to get picky over eight missing years?"

"No! I'm getting picky over eleven missing years!" I stomped my foot like a child. I knew I had no right to get so upset. Mello and I were both adults, we could both make our own decisions in life. It wasn't as though... it wasn't as though we were married. I stared down at my left hand and twisted the engagement ring that wasn't Mello's around and around in my fingers.

"Where's the one I gave you?" he asked, seeing my not so subtle action.

I looked up with a stern look on my face and crossed my arms over my chest. "I pawned it. Years ago, I don't have it any more."

"You should have just sold it back to the jeweller, I'm sure you would've gotten more money for it," the blasé tone with which he said that just made me more angry with him.

I turned on my heels and stormed into my bedroom, slamming the door behind me; half praying Mello would come in after me, and half praying he wouldn't. I sat down on the foot of my bed and stole a glance into my closet. There, on the top shelf, nestled safely in the corner was a black velvet box. A tiny thing, it was no larger than the Rubik's cube that was sitting beside it. The black velvet of the box was coated in a fine layer of dust, as I had not so much as touched it since... since back in January when I had been... I stared back down at my left hand, and at the golden ring that rested on my fourth finger. I hated yellow gold. I had always preferred white gold; white gold and princess cut stones, not like the round stone that I had now.

Suddenly my door clicked open and Mello's figure filled the frame. I gave him a pouty look and pulled my legs up under my chin. Why did it always have to be like this? It was like there were always two parts of me, and they were always fighting. There was one part of me that wanted nothing more than to scream, 'Mello! You're alive!' and run and jump into his arms and have him hold me and love me and we could pick up right where we left off. Then there was the other part, the part of me that just wanted to say, 'To hell with it all. Mello left, AGAIN. He didn't want you, AGAIN. Grow up and get over it,' and be able to move on with my life. But I knew that as angry as I was with Mello, the part of me that wanted him would never go away. When you love someone that much, you can't just 'grow up and get over it.'

I released a breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding and started with, "You know what Mello? I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not as strong as you, or as smart as you. I'm sorry I can't keep it together the way you do; I'm sorry I'm illogical and irrational and uncontrolled. I'm sorry you hate my brother," I jabbed a finger in Near's general direction for emphasis, "but I'm not sorry for loving you. I'm not sorry for missing you," I poured every ounce of conviction into my words and that's all it took.

That was all I said before, in one fell swoop, Mello lifted me off the end of my bed and dropped me in the middle. I was crying a torrent of tears before Mello's first kiss made its way to my lips.

He was everything I had been craving for the past eleven years. His kiss, his touch, his smell. The feel of how perfectly our bodies meshed together and the feeling of absolute elation when our skin met. Air and water and food, they were keeping me alive; Mello is what brought me to life. I moaned and bit my lip in ecstasy as my hair came undone and Mello's hands got tangled in my silvery, silky web.

My arms and legs and body were still sore, but this time the pain felt good. "Mello..." I whispered silently and I was silenced with a chocolate flavoured kiss.

Chocolate and bubblegum. I tasted chocolate and bubblegum.

Mello sighed and the sound brought new pleasure to my ears. He ran his hands down the back of my neck and to my shoulders, but stopped suddenly when he got to my arms.

I looked up into his eyes and found him in deep concentration, lost in thought, his gazed focused in on another time and place. I looked down at my own arms and discovered what had triggered this.

Crisscrossing white lines were etched in all directions over my upper and lower arms. It had been so many years I had almost forgotten they were there... even if I never forgot what they meant to me. Eleven years and seven months ago I had been locked in an abandoned asylum for safekeeping. Eleven years and seven months ago I had escaped by scaling a chain-link fence bordered with razor wire. The results hadn't been pretty.

But I didn't want to remember that now. I wanted to get lost in the moment with Mello. I reached up to him and gently guided him back down to me. "Hold me," I begged quietly.

Mello wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him.

"Closer," I whispered. Mello's arms tightened around me and I whispered, "Closer," again. Mello's hug was suffocating me before I was finally satisfied. I ran my hands along the curve of his back and the flat of his chest and fell asleep in eternal bliss.

Mello wasn't in bed with me when I woke up but I found a hastily written note taped to the lamp and the side of my bed. Without getting up I pulled it down and read it.

Gone to England... I'll be back this time.

Why wasn't I surprised?

I heard a noise in the kitchen then. Mello must have just written the note and not actually left yet. I threw back the covers and went to great him, only to discover that it wasn't Mello in the kitchen. None of the seven men with menacing expressions standing in my kitchen were Mello.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Be sure to review and tell me what you think of it :) I can't improve if I don't get feedback.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Ready to see how Mello and Matt survived?

This chapter is going to be from Mello's point of view :D Don't forget that half way through LOL. I'm also going to put a little notification in the story too, just in case some of you don't read my author's note's ha-ha... And oh! I'm REALLY going to try and keep Mello in character, but as you'll see, there's a reason I write with one standard OC, I'm really not that good with getting into other character's heads :/

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

**Dedication: **To my avid readers: Strange Amairaini XIII and KiriKatana who gave suggestions and advice for how to make this chapter work :) Thanks you guys ^_^ I can only hope that I live up to all your expectations.

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><p><strong>August 2, 2024. 6:00 PM (Local Time)... 22 Days Left... *MELLO'S POV*<strong>

Seeing my own grave might not be such a bad idea. And in any case it was a good idea to get out of town for a while, and hell, out of the country was probably even better. I wasn't afraid, and I wasn't running away; not by any means, but there were more than a couple people who were more than a little upset at the way the last deal had gone down.

It was weird being back. I hadn't been in Winchester England since I was fifteen, no, not even fifteen, I hadn't been here since I was fourteen; I hadn't been back for over half my life.

It wasn't hard to get accustomed to it again. After only a couple hours it felt as though I had never left. I grabbed a quick bite and decided that I would make that trip to the old cemetery. I remembered where they had buried L and Watari, I assumed Matt and I would be nearby. I made my way along the interlocking paths of the cemetery, between rows and columns of graves and tombstones.

It was a cool and windy day for the middle of August, but completely clear. The blue sky and the waving trees were so picturesque you could almost forget you were in a graveyard... almost. I stuffed my hands into my coat pockets and bowed my head into the wind. With my left hand I removed a bar of chocolate from my pocket and undid the wrapping. I took a large bite before I continued on.

I spotted our graves, the Wammy's kid's graves, in a small, adjacent plot to the one I was walking around. I also spotted a short, petite girl in a black, hooded windbreaker and bellbottom jeans standing in front of them. The girl was turned away from me so I couldn't see her face, but streams of platinum blonde hair were whipping about from under her hood in the wind.

I approached her noisily to make sure she didn't freak out if she suddenly noticed I was behind her. When she still didn't react to my presence I asked her, "What are you doing here?"

Without turning around she responded, "I am paying my respect to the dead. It is what one usually does at a cemetery."

I was taken aback for a moment. I had guessed this girl to be seven or eight based on her short stature, but she was quite articulate for her age. I half wondered if she should be out by herself, even if she was exceptionally intelligent. "Where are your parents?" I asked her.

"Funny you should ask," she replied. She seemed completely intent and dedicated to the graves in front of her.

I waited for an elaboration, a more direct answer to my question but she never gave me one, so I asked a different question, one that I really wanted answered. "Do you know who these people are? These 'dead' that you are paying respect to?"

"I never met them, if that's what you mean. But I knew who they were."

"And who were they?"

"They were hero's."

"Did your parents tell you that?" I asked her as I clicked off another helping of my chocolate bar. I let the bittersweet flavour melt and swim in my mouth.

"My mother told me that."

This girl was weird. She didn't seem at all concerned that a strange man had interrupted her homage to four fallen 'heroes.' "Where's your father?"

"Funny you should ask," she said again, but this time continued with, "he's buried right here."

The news, however untrue, had me choking on my chocolate.

"Sir, I'd appreciate some privacy now," the girl said, only now apparently bothered with my presence. I'd give her, her privacy, but first I was going to set her straight. There was no way Watari, L, Matt or myself was this girl's father. She was way too young, and the four of us had 'died' way before this girl could have been conceived.

"Listen girl, none of these men were your father. I'm sorry, but your mom or whoever told you that, lied to you."

The girl finally half turned towards me, but her face was still hidden beneath her hood and flailing hair. "You sir, are the liar," and I heard a touch of anger behind her voice.

"These men died over eleven years ago, none of them could be your father," I tried to explain; "you're too young."

"Just how old do you think I am sir? I'll have you know I'm turning eleven this year, it was perfectly possible for my father to be buried here. He only died eleven years ago."

Well, at least she had the dates right. "Alright you smart ass brat, which one of these men was your father." Ten bucks said she couldn't name any one of us buried here, let alone Matt or I, the only ones it could have been who was her father.

"His name was Mihael Keehl if you must know!" she spun on her heels to face me and when she did I was unable to tell which one of us had more of a heart attack.

I swear the poor girl went into shock. Her azure eyes filled with surprise and terror; her eyes that looked scarily familiar, and scarily identical to my own. Her heart-shaped mouth pulled back into a wide 'O' and she took a step backwards to distance herself from me.

I myself took a step back from her in surprise. She looked just like me, no, she looked just like Jewel... after a moment I realized I was wrong again. This girl looked just like the both of us. Jewel's face and hair, my eyes and mouth. Her slight frame identical to that of Jewel's and mine. But, it just wasn't possible! Jewel and I had only... No way. It just wasn't possible.

The girl took another step back and stumbled on the side of my grave. She fell backwards hard, but never once took her eyes off of mine. They were so captivating. She fought to right herself and when she did, she took off running, and in a familiar direction.

If this girl's story was even half way true, there was only one place she could be going.

I followed after her at a slower pace, I knew where she was going, there was no need to kill myself getting there.

A block away I saw the large, ancient building looming overhead. I saw Wammy's house. So many old memories came flooding back to me; some of them good, and most of them not. I remembered the rainy day in December my parents had callously dropped me off here. The day I met Matt. The day that I became the best at Wammy's and how I had become the best so that I could show my parents that it had been wrong to abandon me here. And then I recalled the day Near and Jewel had shown up out of nowhere. I recalled L's death, and the day I left.

As I neared the building I saw the cast iron gates and the old plated sign that read 'Wammy's' at the front entrance. I also saw that the large wooden door had been thrown open with much haste and had not been closed. Through the open door I could hear frantic and panicked shouts echoing from inside the poorly lit entrance way.

As I drew nearer I heard, "I'm not kidding Roger! I'm not! You've got to believe me!"

"I told you going to the cemetery on a weekly basis would be bad for you."

"No Roger! Look! He looked just like this!"

"It could have been anybody-"

"But it wasn't! It was him I swear!" the girl interrupted.

"Mind if I let myself in?" I asked, stepping up to the front door.

Two pairs of eyes turned in my direction.

The girl still had a frenzied look in her azure eyes, and her all but silver hair was wild with her run and the wind and her ghostly pale skin was flushed red from all the excitement. Her long slender hand had black painted nails and was holding a photograph. A laminated photograph, with six words on the back. Six words, and four of them had been crossed out. The first crossed out pair read, 'Dear Mello' the next crossed out pair read, 'Dear Jewel.' The final pair of words was partially covered by the girl's tiny hand.

Roger, or at least an older, greyer version of the Roger I knew, looked to be attempting to lead this girl back to her room. That is, assuming the rooms were still where they had always been; and looking around just the front entrance of the place, I was sure every last item, down to the paintings and the vases were all still there they had always been.

"Mello!" Roger asked as recognition dawned slowly on his face. "It's not possible." The look in Roger's eyes shifted to one that mimicked the girl's; it was one of shock and surprise.

"Whose kid is this Roger?"

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later the three of us were seated in Roger's office, and there were something like a dozen ears pressed against the closed door. These newbies were no kind of silent.<p>

"I just don't know about this," Roger finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had crept into the room like a fog, making it less silent, but no less awkward.

"Who is this kid Roger? And whose kid is she?" I wanted a real answer, and I wanted it now. There was no way some little girl was going to claim to be my kid with no verification.

"I don't know if I can tell you that Mello."

"Fine then," I turned my attention to the little girl. "Who's your mother?"

The girl with the azure eyes looked up at me with fear in her eyes and then looked to Roger to see if she was allowed to tell me.

"You can tell him if you want to I suppose," Roger sighed.

This day I'm sure, was not something Roger could deal with in stride. It felt like L and Watari might show up themselves and say something like, 'Ha, we got you guys.' If that was ever going to happen, today seemed like it would be the perfect day for it. It was the day for anomalies, all 'round.

"Whatever, I don't want to deal with this right now. I'm going for a walk." I wasn't getting any answers anyway. I pushed up from my chair and strolled over to the door. Three kids fell into the room when I swung the door open, and five more jumped out of my way to let me through. I stepped over the ones that had fallen in and went out into the hall. I walked past the stairs, past the cafeteria, and through a number of ever familiar hallways and corridors before I made it outside. Nothing had changed, and yet, everything had.

"Hey you!" I heard a soft, but somewhat uncertain voice call after me. I stopped but didn't turn around to face her. "My mom's name is Jewel." ...I really wasn't sure how I felt about this. "And she told me that you were dead."

"She thought I was kid, what else can I tell you?"

"You can tell me how you're alive."

I have to give the girl credit, after her initial shock, she was able to calm down quite quickly. This one was collected and rational; a case against Jewel being her mother, if I dared to make one. We walked out to the old willow tree in the back of the property which, for some reason, I was surprised was still there.

"How much do you know about the Kira case?" I asked her.

"I know as much as my mother does. She told me everything she knew."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, she did say, 'That's everything I know,' when she told me."

I thought back to that fateful day, back to the day when Matt and I 'died.' "You know who Kiyomi Takada was?" I asked just to be sure. I didn't know why I felt inclined to tell this girl my life story. There still was no concrete evidence to collaborate her claim... and yet.

"Yes. She's the one that supposedly killed you."

"She would have," I didn't deny, "but we took every precaution. We knew she must have had some pieces of the Notebook lying around. It was a given. So on the day before we went to kidnap her, we broke into her house. There were ten of us and we were all in and out of that house in ten minutes while she was in the shower. We replaced each and every piece of paper in the place. Then it was just a matter of installing closed circuit cameras in the back of the truck we put her in. As soon as she wrote my name down I just had to wait forty seconds and then pretend to be dead. Wasn't too hard," I shrugged it off. It wasn't that big of a deal. "Now Matt's death was easy to fake. He-"

"What! Uncle Matt is alive too!"

"'Uncle Matt'?"

"Not biologically. It's just a term of endearment to signify closeness and importance," she explained even though she didn't need to. Man, I wonder what Matt would do if he heard this girl call him 'uncle.'

"Yeah, Matt's alive too. He-"

"Does my mom know? Does she know that you're alive?" she interrupted again. Now, THAT was something she DID get from her mother.

"She does now kid, now do you want to know what happened or not?"

"I'm sorry," she seemed taken aback. She probably wasn't used to people snapping at her.

I narrowed my eyes at her, this was one weird kid. "Matt's death was easy to fake," I started to explain again. "Near hired a bunch of cops and people to play cops to corner Matt and shoot at him. But there weren't any real bullets, only blanks. So then in order to make it look real, we had blood packs installed on Matt and we had a bunch of gunshot squibs wired into Matt's car to make it look like it was getting shot up too. Easy, there was never any danger for Matt, and only a marginal danger for me if I wasn't careful."

"If it was all so safe, why did you have to leave my mom out of it?"

"We had to leave Jewel out of it. She would have tried to stop us even if she knew it was all fake. She would have gotten hurt."

"So... you did it to protect her?"

I didn't answer her. I was lost in that day. I was lost in the day, in that moment that I said goodbye to Jewel.

"_Just let's go okay, we're on a tight schedule," I snapped at her._

"_Alright," she said defeated. I watched her go into the bedroom and come out with her teddy bear and my rabbit. "Guys have you seen my coat?" she asked when she couldn't find it hanging up, and Matt and I shared a look. I wanted to leave her with my coat. I wanted her to have it._

"_Here, take mine," I suggested casually; I knew how much she loved it._

"_But, but won't you need it?"_

"_No, just take care of it for me," I cringed when I realised that I might have said too much._

"_Alright, I guess I'm ready then."_

_Matt and I ushered her out to his Camaro and I slid into the back seat with her. I wanted to be with her, I wanted to hold her for as long as I could. If something went wrong today... No, even if nothing went wrong today, I wasn't going to see her again. I couldn't do that to her. I wouldn't drag her back into the life I had created for myself, I wouldn't ask her to be a part of gangs and gun fights. I wouldn't drag her into the line of fire just so that I could be with her; that wasn't fair to her, and it hadn't been fair to drag her back into this Kira investigation after all those years, after knowing what it had done to her. The truth was, I just wanted to be with her. I held her as close to me as I could._

_We drove around for a while until we ended up in the parking lot a building even more run down that our headquarters. It was an old asylum. It had a chain link fence around it, with concertina wire at the top. Matt and I had chosen this place specifically for what we had in mind. It was the only place we could find that had a chance of holding her for as long as we needed to._

"_C'mon, we're going inside," I told her. I tried to keep all emotion out of my voice; I couldn't make her any more suspicious. If she started fighting now, we wouldn't be able to stop her._

_We walked her into the building and through the halls, she was holding onto my hand the whole time. When we finally got her to the designated room, she finally spoke up. "Alright, that's it. I want some real answers, and now!" She turned to me and started with, "I don't want any more-" but she was cut off when Matt pulled her into a bear hug from behind. At that moment I was more envious of him than I had ever been of anyone, than I had ever even been of Near. Matt could come back for her, Matt could see her again if he so chose. I couldn't. I wouldn't do that to her._

"_M-Matt?" she stuttered. He released her then and gave her a small shove towards me._

_I hugged her as tightly as I possibly could. I wanted to hold her in my arms forever. I wanted to feel her slight frame in my arms, I wanted to hear her voice every day for the rest of my life, I wanted her see her smile when I was feeling down, and to have her lips on mine; but that just wasn't a possibility anymore._

"_Mello," she cried and snuggled closer still into my arms. "W-what are you doing? What's going on! Tell me now!" she sobbed._

_I had to do it, I had to do it now, or I might never be able to. My resolve would weaken with each word she cried into my ears. I picked her up and carried her over to the tiny door stashed away in the far corner of the room. The closet that would hold her until someone came to get her out. I opened it one handed and shoved her inside. _

"_Mello!" she shrieked at me, and I prepared myself the best that I could for her hatred and her fury. I closed the barred gate that would forever separate us. "Mello what are you doing!" she cried as tears started to show behind her eyes. She grabbed one of the iron bars in each of her tiny hands and pulled futilely at them._

"_Do you want to see something really 'reckless and destructive'?" I asked her, going back to a month ago where she had shown me all the physical and emotional pain she had gone through when I hadn't been there for her. "I don't need you getting involved in the next part of the plan," I explained. She was going to say something, but I cut her off, "No, shut up, I know what you're going to say. 'We're in this together,' and whatever else. And yes we are Jesse, but there are some things that you just don't need to be a part of, understand."_

_She glanced desperately from me to Matt, "Matt, c'mon, don't do this. Let me out of here! Whatever it is I can help! I won't get in the way I promise! You can't leave me here!" Matt wouldn't acknowledge her pleas and so she turned back to me, "Don't do this Mello. Don't leave me here like you left me at Wammy's." _

_It was low of her to play that card, especially now, but I couldn't blame her. And in the end, she would see that she couldn't blame me. This was all for the best, this was all to protect her. "Matt'll come get you out when we're done."_

"_And where will YOU be?" she shot accusingly and I refused to look at her, I refused to see her pain. She was silent for a moment and then something must have clicked because her cries were more insistent now. "MELLO NO! Don't do this! Please! You can't! There's got to be another way! Let me out and we can come up with another plan! We can figure this out!" she reached out to me._

"_I'm sorry Jesse. I love you, so much." And I did. I loved her more than anything, and she would never know. She would probably never forgive me after this, but I was alright with that so long as I could protect her._

"_Mello." she called again and I finally relented. I went back to the barred door and reached in to give her one last hug, one last kiss._

_I didn't want to, but I had to. I pulled away, "Goodbye Jesse."_

Her final cries would echo in my ears until the end of time.

And that's when I got a phone call; a phone call from Matt on the other side of the world.

"Mello! Jewel's gone missing!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So, I got to thinking the other night... In my last story, on one of my Reader Review Polls, I asked you all how old you are. Well now I'm wondering, just how old do you all think I am? Cyber cookies and a choice of prizes (YES PRIZES) goes to the person(s) who guess the closest ;P

Shout out to anyone whose birthday it is ^_^ LOL


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** ...So, apparently I neglected to mention the girl's name again. That, was honestly, completely unintentional. In fact, I planned to reveal it, I guess it just never came up :S You know what though? I'm betting at least half of you are going to kill me when you hear it. I was warned against this, but I seriously just couldn't resist ^_^ LOL.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>Date: Unknown<strong>

I woke up more than a little groggy and more than a lot in pain. My head was spinning and nausea didn't even begin to describe what I was feeling. I had no idea what time it was or how long I'd been out of it.

Instinctually the first think I did was to check myself over. I seemed to be in one piece... if still in my pyjamas. I discovered a tiny, radial bruise spreading outward from an even smaller puncture wound in my left thigh. It hadn't been from Mello; it had been from the tall one. The tallest one of the seven, the one who was also carrying the tranquilizer gun. These guys, whoever they were, really didn't mess around.

I made a move to stand up but a wave of nausea washed over me and I sank slowly back to the floor. I pinched the bridge of my nose and was relieved to find that I still had my glasses on. Although, it was bittersweet realising that the room was as fuzzy as it was, not because of my eyes, but because of my current physical condition.

I spent the next six minutes staring at The Offspring on my pyjama bottoms, lest I should try to move and start throwing up. The room stopped spinning shortly after that and I was able to assess my surroundings.

I was in a cell; a small cell, in a long line of cells. Three of the walls around me were iron bars and the third wall was made of red brick. The floor was a bare, cold, concrete, and I would have been shivering except that the coolness against my skin was combating the nausea, which felt quite nice under the circumstances.

But I was sick of cells. I'd been locked in cells more times by the bad guys than by the police. There was just that one misunderstanding with that portly officer over in D.C. He hadn't taken too kindly to my comment about the contents of his packed lunch. Apparently he didn't need to know the specific ingredients of bologna... I was just trying to help. Although, in hindsight, it probably hadn't helped that I'd told him, 'You are what you eat.' He'd been very unreasonable about the whole ordeal.

"Eh boss," I heard a man with an odd accent say. I hadn't realised that I wasn't alone. "She's awake now." I rolled over to the side where the sound had come from and found that I recognized the man I saw. He was quite tall, muscular, had piercings and tattoos and a long, greasy, black ponytail. He was the man from the warehouse. He was standing in a doorway at the end of the long, narrow room and calling to someone over his shoulder.

A beefy bald man with at least a dozen facial piercings came into the room through a steel door. I had seen him before too. He was the one that I had taken to be the leader at the warehouse meeting; and judging by what the greasy one had just called him, I assumed my assumption to be correct.

I struggled to right myself; nothing was worse than a show of weakness in enemy territory. I got myself posed in a fighting stance and willed my feet and legs to stop shaking. I was in seriously bad condition. Between all my actions the previous day, getting shot with a tranquilizer and spending God knows how long on a cold concrete floor... well I had had better days. Not to mention I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since before I could remember. I recalled Matt's jasmine tea, but that was all. I hadn't finished my tea in the coffee shop and I hadn't eaten since before I infiltrated the warehouse. I was in seriously bad condition.

"I'm surprised you have the strength to hold that arrogant expression on your face, let alone stand," said the bald one, reading my thoughts. "You know, we heard a lot of great things about you. You kind of disappoint. You went down quite easily the other day, and that sedative should have worn off hours ago."

I didn't say anything at first, I just stared him down as he drew nearer to my cage. "What am I doing in here? What is this? Where am I?"

"You threw a mighty big wrench into our plans the other day you know." As the man stopped in front of my cell I recoiled in disgust. I could smell him. Thoughts of garbage dumps and toxic waste came to mind, and I could barely contain the reflex to dry heave.

"Answer my questions," I demanded as my knees buckled slightly.

"Feisty one, aren't you?"

I glared even harder.

"Alright then, Ms. 'Jewel,' is it?" The guy motioned with his right hand for the greasy one to hand him something without taking his eyes off mine. A folder came out from behind the man's back and he handed it to his boss. The boss stared at me a moment longer before bowing his head into the folder. "Seems you and that darling little blonde you were with last night, caused a great loss for me." The sarcastic way he spoke about Mello made me want to break his nose. "Do you remember a whole lot from that night Jewel? I've heard the sedatives we gave you can cause some adverse side effects; that includes short term memory loss."

"I remember just fine," I spat. "Tell me what's going on."

The man snapped the folder closed one handed and glared in on me. "After you so conveniently disappeared onto the roof, your blonde friend and his gang opened fire on us. I lost three men, and all my money. And what did I get out of that encounter? Not what I had gone to pay for."

The bomb. So if we didn't have it, and they didn't have it, who did? Did Mello get away with the money and the bomb? Then which suitcase did I grab?

"What does that have to do with me?"

"You my dear, are now what we are going to pay to get our prize. We will trade you for our bomb and our money. It's only fair. Your friends don't do very good business."

"You're wasting your time. You won't get anything for me."

"No? Are you not worth anything to them?"

"I'm not involved with this, you need to release me."

"And a sense of humour on you to boot," he laughed grotesquely. "Yes, I think they will pay to get you back." He sneered fiendishly at me and then turned to leave the way he had entered. "Come Juan. You uh, did leave the lovely little ransom note at her apartment didn't you?" he asked just loud enough for me to hear.

The steel door slammed shut behind them.

* * *

><p>I did a round around my cell and pulled and wrenched each iron bar in turn. They were all secured firmly into the cement floor and to the brick wall which I took to be the outer wall of the building. I could see no windows, only four separate cells including my own, and the steel door.<p>

I walked to the front of my cell and peered out between the bars to get a better view of things. It seemed to me though, from whichever angle I looked, that escape was hopeless. I hated cells.

I sat in frustration against the back wall and realised for the second time that I was still in my pyjamas as the cold seeped through to my skin. What an annoyance. Not just the cold, but this whole situation. This was shaping up to be a pretty ridiculous week.

I sat for a bit waiting for an idea to come to me. I ended up deciding to pull a MacGyver. The recessed lighting up and down the narrow hallway outside the cells was covered in a mesh of wire to protect the bulbs. If I could pull it down I might be able to fashion a type of lock pick out of the metal.

As I walked up back up to the front of the cage though, I realised something I hadn't noticed before; and then I realised that I was an idiot. I examined the iron bars of my cell more closely. Earlier when I had taken a closer look at them I had only been preoccupied with the possibility of their looseness I hadn't even realised how far apart they were.

In an average police prison cell, the iron bars are eleven and a half centimetres apart, roughly a third of a foot. These bars were clearly over fifteen centimetres apart, about half a foot. These cells hadn't been built to code. They'd been done half assed to save money no doubt; either that or the person who made them was just clueless. Granted, this makeshift prison was probably meant to hold men twice my size; men who would have trouble escaping from a foot and a half space. I thought about the greasy ponytail guy and his boss. They'd probably need two feet of space before they could get their steroid ridden bodies through the gap.

I leaned against the bars. If I could get my head through, I'd have no problem. My hips and shoulders I could twist and turn and bend into whatever angle I needed to. I leaned through the bars and listened acutely for any noise. The last thing I needed was to be caught halfway in and halfway out of my cell. When I heard nothing, I used my arms to pull myself through the bars. Every aching muscle in my body protested. I needed a serious soak in a hot tub, I was seriously lucky I could move at all.

I slipped through into the narrow hall and almost collapsed onto the floor. My legs were all but refusing to hold me.

"C'mon, just a little longer," I willed my aching limbs.

I half shuffled, half stumbled to the steel door at the end of the long hallway, listened against it, and reached for the doorknob.

There was no doorknob.

Instead, there was a round metal plate to mark the place where it should have been. I guess that was one way to prevent people who could slip through the bars from escaping. "Damnit. This, is so not up to safety standards!" I hissed quietly. "What if there was a fire!" I was about to go off on a long winded rant when I heard voices and footsteps on the other side of the steel barrier. I tried to judge how many but the voices and footfalls were all muffled by the door. If there were only one or two, I could probably... maybe... not likely be able to (but try to,) take them. If there were more though... I decided to play it safe. I crawled painfully back into my iron cage just before the steel door swung open.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"YOU DUMBASSES!" I growled in frustration at my captors. "That's not how it works!" They were complete amateurs these guys. "You can't get anything from them if they're in here with me!"

The boss, the greasy ponytail guy and four other of their henchmen marched into the miniature cell block. The four others were guiding two far too familiar men in with them. I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. Three of the men coming in were holding on to an indignant Mello, and the fourth was holding Matt.

While Mello was putting up a half-hearted struggle for show or just out of frustration, Matt wasn't fighting the one that was holding him. I wondered if he was biding his time, or if he was just being lazy.

"This has to be like, thee dumbest week of my life."

* * *

><p>Mello was thrown into the empty cell on my right, and Matt the one after him. Three of the four cells were now occupied; the one closest to the door was the only one that still stood empty.<p>

I waited a moment to gather myself while the six men left the room and then I asked, "So uh, what's up?" No answer. "What are you doing guys?" I asked as casually as if it had been a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I heard a heavy sigh from two cells down, "We came to break you out actually."

"You don't say? So uh, how's that going for you?"

Both of them shot me exasperated looks.

"We picked the blonde one up at the airport actually," the boss said, slipping silently into the room again. "The redhead we found at your apartment. We had to take them separately. You don't ever want these two to get together. They don't seem to know where the bomb or the money went, so we're just going to keep them here until it turns up," he smiled evilly. "No food or water until someone speaks up. There's probably quicker ways to get the information out of you, but I'm in no hurry," he chuckled maniacally and left the way he had come.

"Well, at least we know what we're up against," I said after him. Then I turned back to the adjacent cells and asked Mello and Matt, who had taken a seat against their respective sections of wall, "So, where's the bomb and the money guys?"

"Didn't you just hear him? We don't know," Mello answered without making eye contact.

"No seriously."

"Why are you asking us? You're the one who grabbed the suitcase. And that other guy grabbed theirs. We don't have it. We came home as empty handed as they did. I don't know why they're after us. They should be going after you."

"Gee, thanks, except that we don't have them either."

Now I had both of their attention. They looked over at me through the bars, "What?"

"Yeah, we don't have them. Near and Gevanni got all up in my face about how I blew it because we came away without the bomb or the money."

"So what happened to them?" Mello asked.

"I don't know!"

We all sat in silence for a second before I realised something. "You were at the airport?" I asked Mello. "You really were going to go to England?"

"I really did go to England, I'd just gotten back."

It took a moment, but then a worrisome thought crept into my mind. "Winchester?"

"Yeah?"

"Do anything... exciting?"

"Not really."

"Did uh... did you-" I didn't know how I was supposed to ask my next question.

As it turns out I didn't have to.

"Did I meet a pretty little blonde who claimed to be your daughter? Why yes, I did."

I crinkled my face in awkwardness. I had one more question that was absolutely imperative. "Did she uh... did she happen to-"

"Did she happen to mention who the father is? Why yes, she did."

I wrinkled my face again.

"She's so cute," Matt finally broke in and I shot him a quizzical glance. "You went to England too?"

"Naw, I saw her at the airport."

"MATT!"

"What?"

"MELLO!"

"Damn."

"What's my daughter doing here!"

"She heard you were kidnapped. She insisted on coming down. She said something about having to be here in a couple weeks anyway. You know, because of your WEDDING!"

Mello shot me a cold look, but there was something else behind his eyes; something like, betrayal.

"What was I supposed to do Mello? You were DEAD!" I said, hoping to defend myself, to defend my heart against Mello's penetrating glare.

"Except that I wasn't!"

"Except that you kinda were. You left me Mello. That's the bottom line."

"You know why I left you Jewel?" Mello looked earnestly through the bars at me and in the next cell over I saw Matt turn away, to give us as much privacy as he could. "I stayed away from you specifically to make sure situations like this never happened. To make sure you didn't get dragged into shit like this." Mello gestured around the cellblock and paused for a moment. I tried to take in all he had just said. "This is the life I made for myself; you have the potential to do so much better than that. You don't need to live in dingy headquarters, you don't have to be on the run from the law or worry that someone is going to knife you every time you walk home from work. I wasn't going to do that to you Jewel. I just wasn't."

"But... Mello-"

"And in case you haven't noticed Jewel, we can't be around each other for more than ten minutes without starting a fight."

"But... Mello-" I tried again.

"All we ever do when we're together is argue, shift through cases and try to dodge as many bullets as we can."

"And wouldn't life be so boring if we didn't?" I smiled at him. "You just don't get it Mello. All of that, as much as I would hate all of that, the 'dingy headquarters' the running from the law, all the bullets and knives... as much as I would hate it, I would love it! The adrenaline! The excitement!"

"The risk."

"Being with you would be so incredibly worth it. You've got to take the good with the bad right?" I asked softly.

"No Jewel. YOU don't get it. You don't have to take the bad! You can have a good life, you can have a respectable job and respectable friends and-"

"You're not listening Mello!" I pleaded and i felt a small tingling sensation at the corner of my eyes. "That's not what I want! To me, that WOULD be the bad! A nine-to-five? Tea parties? Going to a movie with 'the girls' on a Saturday night, or hitting up the clubs to look for a cheap thrill? That's not me! 'ME' is always going to be defined by a part of you Mello."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> AWWE ^_^ *love*

...So, believe me, I get how unrealistic it was that Mello and Matt got captured by those guys. I'm sorry. It hurt even me to read that, I just had to have them all locked up at the same time :) It was a desire so intense that not even wild horses (where on Earth did that expression come from) could keep me away.

BTW, Don't forget to get your guesses in for my age :P There's still time! Winner gets cyber cookies and a choice of prizes! ;D


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** So, I'm in the middle of so many anime right now, I keep crossing plots and storylines and its getting insane! My advice to you, just watch one or two at a time LOL.

There you have it, the best advice you will receive today ;P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

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><p><strong>August 4, 2024. 11:51 PM... 20 Days Left... <strong>

After our heart to heart, Mello and I had both scooted ourselves to the wall of iron bars that separated us. I leaned against him as much as I could and we held hands through the bars. We were all captives in some crazy man's lair, not getting food or water, I was still in immense physical pain, but just being with Mello made all that go away.

Matt had come around to the near side of his of his cell too so as not to be completely excluded.

We all sat in silence for quite a while before I had the sense to ask, "So... Tell me about these guys. What is all this about?"

Neither of them answered me at first, but then Mello started with, "They're a crime syndicate, something of a parallel to our own," he gestured to Matt and himself. "They asked us to construct a bomb for them. We don't ever ask why but it isn't hard to guess. These guys pride themselves on being political extremists." Mello paused while he gathered his thoughts. "We've done business with them before, they're pretty low. It was going to be a straight deal at the warehouse; the bomb for the money. We brought Matt along specifically to make sure no one was watching us. Turns out there was," Mello shot me a look. "Matt recognized you first after you dropped your glasses."

I thought back to the warehouse and the person who had shouted, tried to get the others to stop shooting. No wonder his voice had been familiar. I looked across Mello to Matt and gave him a smile which he returned.

We were all talking for a little longer and I wasn't really paying attention until Mello's worried voice came over to me a little louder and a little more urgent than it had before.

"Jewel!"

"W-what?" I moaned.

"You've been zoning in and out for a while now. Are you okay?"

I thought about his words, but they weren't making a whole lot of sense. It was like I couldn't focus; I was feeling terribly lightheaded. "Uhm, yeah, sure," I nodded. I sensed that they didn't really believe me, but they continued their conversation anyway. A second later I became really worried about something. "What day is it?" I interrupted. They each gave me a concerned look, like maybe I'd hit my head. "They shot me with a tranquilizer. I was out of it for quite a while. I don't know what day it is," I explained.

I saw in my peripheral Matt checking his watch. "It's the fifth, a little after one AM."

I groaned worriedly.

"What?" Mello asked.

I hadn't had anything to eat or drink for four days. "It's nothing," I answered.

Another non-believing pause before Mello said, "Alright, your turn."

"My turn what?"

"Your turn to tell us how you got caught up in this, besides having been seen with us you know."

"Uh," I tried to concentrate and find my words, "Near," I concluded. "Near wanted us all in on this case for whatever reason. He sent me in to find out what was going on, and to get the bomb."

"Why'd he send you?"

"I don't know. Why not?"

"'Cause it's dangerous."

"Being alive is dangerous. If you're too afraid to die, you end up being too afraid to live."

"Yeah but, you have a kid to take care of, she needs you."

"She's fine. She doesn't 'need' me. She can take care of herself."

"Is that what you told yourself when you dropped her off at Wammy's." The way Mello had said that was more than a little harsh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked back defensively. Mello didn't respond, but it didn't take me too long to figure it out. "You think I just left her there like your parents left you," I said quietly.

"Why'd you do it?" he asked me earnestly and my heart bled for him. After all these years, after everything that had happened to us, he was still thinking about how he had been abandoned, how he'd been left behind.

"It wasn't like that with us," I explained. "I didn't just leave her. I kept her with me until she was old enough to start going to school. She was already brighter than me, you or Near at her age. It was a given that she should attend Wammy's. It wasn't any different than if I'd chosen to send her to a private school. And besides, she wanted to go herself. I explained to her what it means to be a Wammy's kid and she's okay with that. She always said she wanted to be just like you," I smiled softly at him. "Besides, I was starting work with Near. I'm never home, I have people coming after me too. It wouldn't be fair to drag her into that just yet. If she wants to work with us when she's old enough, that's fine, but not now. And I'm always flying over to visit her."

"You still shouldn't have left her."

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black." I said quietly, but angrily. I stood up to gain the metaphorical high ground. "Speaking of which! Where is she! You said she came here with you!"

"She called your stupid brother before we left. He came and picked her up before these Neanderthals," he stood and gestured towards the steel door, "came after me. She's safe."

I breathed out, relieved. "So then, Near knows something's up? Is he going to get us out of here?"

"Why are you asking me? He's your brother."

"You can be so stubborn sometimes!"

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black!"

Mello and I glared at each other for a good minute before my legs gave out and I collapsed in a heap on the floor.

* * *

><p>I started coming around again when I heard angry shouts coming from Mello's cell.<p>

"That wasn't the deal! The deal was you let her go!"

"Oh, we'll let her go. We'll let her go when we verify your information. In fact, when we have the bomb and the money, we'll let all of you go."

"She needs to be let out now! You're going to kill her!"

"You should have thought about that before you waited so long to tell us. And in fact," I heard a clinking of iron bars, "she's going to be our little insurance policy when we go in there!"

I felt a cold, hard, hand latch on around my ankle. My eyes hammered open in panic and a startled shriek escaped my throat. "Mello!" I cried and instinctively reached out towards him, but no luck. I kicked out wildly with my free foot as I felt myself being dragged out of my cage.

"Let her go now! You'll pay for this!"

I looked up to the front of Matt's and Mello's cells and saw frantic and angry expressions on their faces. I clawed futilely at the cement floor. I tried grabbing onto various iron bars as I passed them, but ended up crying out in pain as the wrenching motion tore at my aching arms. "Mello!" I called weakly one last time before the steel door slammed shut between us.

"W-what's going on?" I asked fearfully.

"Mello told us where to find our bomb and our money," the boss told me. "My men are going to take you along to make sure we don't run into any resistance."

But, Mello doesn't know where the bomb or the money are... "Where are they?"

"Don't play dumb. We know your organization has them."

Mello! What did you do?

I was half dragged, half pushed through the dark city streets as I attempted to come up with a plan. What was Mello's game? Telling these guys that the bomb and the money were at, what was he thinking? He was going to cause a lot of problems for Near and the rest of us.

About thirty seconds later I finally clued into the fact that we were going the wrong way.

"Where are we going?" I asked them.

"We're going to your organizations headquarters. I thought we made that perfectly clear," the one who was holding onto me said.

There were four of them altogether. Greasy ponytail guy and the boss had elected to stay at their own base. Of the ones who I was with, there was the one who was more or less carrying me, as I had little, if no strength left to stand on my own, and three others. They had huge muscles and tattoos like the ones I had seen before them... and they all smelled. Three of the four were packing handguns, and the fourth had a rifle. Wherever we ended up, I was sure someone was going to end up dead. And yet, at the same time I couldn't wait to get wherever we were on our way to. All I wanted to do was sit down.

Five minutes later we ended up in a sketchy part of town nowhere near where we were supposed to be. I figured Mello must have given them these directions, but why? Didn't he realise that when they got here and found no bomb and no money that they would be really pissed off? Was Mello hoping and counting on me to have escaped by then?

"You guys are pretty low tech huh?" the one asked me, seeing a rundown office building in front of us.

I didn't say anything; I didn't know what to say.

We let ourselves into the front lobby. It was a small but open room, with a large desk at the back of the space. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this.

There was nobody around.

There was no secretary behind the desk, no people sitting in uncomfortable chairs waiting to be served. I mean, I know it was the middle of the night, but still... and the doors were open.

Then it hit me and I breathed a sigh of relief. Of course!

"Where is everybody?" the one holding me demanded.

There were two doors on either side of the secretary's desk. Which one should I lead them through? I checked quickly around the room for some sort of subtle indication left behind, some sort of clue to tell me which one.

Missing secretary.

I was the secretary, I was the one who would direct these men.

'Right this way,' I would say.

Right this way.

Right.

"To the right. The door at the back."

They pushed me over and I stumbled a couple feet, this time on purpose though. I would get a couple steps in front of them. A couple steps was all I needed.

With my heart pounding in anticipation I forced myself forward and opened the door.

I'd barely gotten it open half a foot when a strong, firm arm grabbed my wrist and violently yanked me through the rest of the way. I fell onto the linoleum floor and crashed into a wall as deafening barrage of gunfire erupted behind me.

When all went silent I felt two strong arms hoist me to my feet.

"No!" I struggled and whined for a moment until I realised who it was. "Gevanni. What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? I'm saving you."

I looked around and saw seven men from the organization including Near who was sitting casually in a corner.

"Mommy?" I heard a tiny voice from a darkened area.

I turned in Gevanni's arms and saw half of a tiny, pale face peeking out from behind an open doorway.

"Michelle!" I cried, and tears of joy filled my eyes. I had no sooner scooped her into my arms however, when everything faded to black.

* * *

><p>I woke up in my own bed with Gevanni, Near and my princess standing and starring worriedly over me. I made a move to sit up and found that my muscles were much less stiff and sore than they had been. On the whole I felt almost back to perfect health. I noticed a tangle of wires and tubes to my side and discovered that I had an IV in my arm and bags of clear fluids hanging on a stand above my head.<p>

"Okay, someone explain to me in three sentences or less, what happened."

"We met Mello at the airport and he told us you had been kidnapped so he concocted a plan," Gevanni started, "We took the kid and Matt and Mello let themselves be captured so that they could believably lead your captors into a trap set by the rest of us."

Two sentences, not bad.

"Okay, cool, sounds good. So what's the plan for getting Mello and Matt out now?" Near and Gevanni shared an awkward glance. "Whaaaat?" I asked.

"Mello insisted that he didn't need our help to get out. That he and Matt could take care of themselves."

"IDIOTS! And you just agreed to that?" I shouted. The sudden outburst rocking my, less than par self, for a bit of a loop.

"What did you want us to do? He was quite adamant about it."

"Well, we're going in after them," I said flatly.

"Uh, no. We're not," Gevanni said back and I shot him a death glare.

"Excuse me?"

"Mello and Matt are members of a crime syndicate themselves don't forget. If we help them out now it would be quite counterproductive."

"EXCUSE ME!" I threw my covers back and pulled the needle out of my arm.

"What are you doing?" Gevanni asked, urgency rising in his voice.

"I'm going after them dumbass. They just saved my life! They've been my best friends for forever and you want me just to abandon them?" I thought back to Mello and his earlier reference to Wammy's and being left by the two people he cared more about than anything. "No, I'm not going to do that."

"Well understand that our hands are tied with this Jewel. We can't help you!"

"I don't care. I'm not asking for your help. I'm going in after them."

"Jewel, I think we need to talk about this first. I don't like the idea of my fianc-"

"And I don't like the idea of the two people I just got back in my life being lost again!" I shouted.

"I'm going with you mommy!" a small voice said to me from the other side of the room.

I looked down at the golden hair child and laughed, "You've developed a sense of humour eh?"

"Mommy! I want to come! I want to help you."

"I respect that hun, but this is just a little too dangerous for you."

"Uncle Near let me come with him when we went to save you."

"Uncle Near is an idiot," I explained.

"Where else would you have had me keep her?" Near asked defensively. "The frequency of which your bloodline, myself excluded, gets kidnapped, is just absurd. I wasn't about to leave her alone for a minute."

"So getting kidnapped is bad, but being in the middle of a gunfight, that's just peachy," I muttered sarcastically. I turned back to my little girl, "You stay with Uncle Near and Gevanni and make sure they don't get kidnapped alright?" I said it like an exasperated boss would, at having to coax their employees to do the simplest task. "Now! All of you out! Someone make me a sandwich! NO! TWO sandwiches! And whatever else is in the fridge! I'm taking a shower and going in!"

"Bu-"

"The first one who argues with me gets a time out! And I don't care how old you are!" I stormed into my washroom and stripped down for a shower.

The hot water felt so good on my skin, but I couldn't waste time revelling in the awesomeness that was a shower. When I got out I dried off, tied my hair back in a braid, and got dressed all in black. My steel toed shoes I slipped on my feet and my brass knuckled and switch blade I dropped into my pockets. I also made sure to take my own personal firearm from the desk. I checked the clip.

Fully loaded.

Never assume.

When I came into the kitchen, everything was as I had specified. There were two sandwiches, fully loaded with lettuce, onions, cheese, tomatoes, and a pickle. And there was an assortment of vegetarian cuisine everywhere. The three who had been here, were gone.

I ate the majority of what was laid out, drank a litre of vitamin water and, fully fuelled, left on my mission.

* * *

><p>I found my way easily back to the bad guys' lair. All I had to do was look for the dumpiest building in New York... That, and backtrack from the abandoned office building that my brother had used for his ambush.<p>

It was still dark out, but a fine line of light blue sky was making its way up the horizon. I would have to make this fast. A stealth approach, an In-and-Out was always easier in the dark. I didn't want to go in blind though; a hasty amount of time was dedicated to a half-assed surveillance attempt.

When I was sure the coast was clear, I let myself inside.

I listened closely inside the door and heard nothing. Surely some sort of word, or conclusions had been drawn about the surprise attack on this man's group. They had to be expecting that myself, or at the very least, someone else would be coming to free the two that had been left behind.

I crept into rooms and though hallways and grew more and more worried every time I came across an unoccupied space. Where was everybody?

Finally I came to a long hallway with an open door at the end and a light burning behind it.

Inside I found only one man. 'The Boss.'

I raised my gun.

"I wouldn't pull that trigger Jewel; not just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because, I have something to show you." The boss got up from his seat. "Please follow me my dear."

The whole thing screamed 'Trap!' inside I was even screaming at myself to pull the trigger; just shoot him in the back and be done with it. But I complied.

The boss led me through a short corridor to a closed door. He motioned for me to go in ahead of him. I didn't like that idea, of him being behind me. But I complied.

Words cannot accurately describe what met me when I opened that door.

A feeling of immense hopelessness washed over me as I took in the scene. Before me, were seven people; five of them were thugs, and two of them meant the world to me.

"This isn't happening!" I moaned. "This isn't happening."

"Oh, but it is my dear. You and your friends have dealt in bad faith, and now, someone is going to pay for it."

Two muscle bound Neanderthals were holding a furious Mello at one corner of the room and another was holding my precious daughter at the other. One man stood poised at Mello with a gun to his head, another stood at my precious daughter with a gun to her head.

My beautiful little girl; my little girl with her petite frame, her shining hair and her azure eyes was being held by the scum of the Earth and had a gun to her head. Her captivating eyes were filled with terror and fear.

"Mommy!" my daughter's lilting cry met my ears.

I made a move to run for her but a fat, grimy hand grabbed my platinum braid, holding me where I was.

"We found that pretty little thing snooping around outside. She looks kind of like you doesn't she? You should have taught her not to trespass."

"Baby!" I cried, "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here! I promise."

"Oh dear me, dear me," the boss said, his hand still wrapped around my hair. "You should not be making promises you might not be able to keep."

I locked eyes with Mello in hopes to silently understand what had happened here, what had gone so wrong. Then I realised, someone was missing. "Where's Matt?" I asked frantically.

"The funny looking redhead? He escaped the coward. He got away and left this friend to die here. It's a shame really, but he'll have to live with that guilt." I felt the boss shrug behind me. "And oh, by the way, I'll be taking your gun now. We wouldn't want anybody to get shot by accident now would we?"

I had no choice. If there had only been one gunman I could have taken him out. But there were two. By the time I shot one, the other would have killed someone very special to me. I handed over my piece to the boss and he released my hair.

"Now then, as you are the last to join the party, the choice is yours."

"The choice is mine?" I asked, not understanding.

"Yes, the choice. The choice of which one of the two before you will die."

"WHAT!" I cried, and the boss latched onto my hair again, for fear I should act rashly.

"YOU CHOOSE WHICH ONE WILL DIE!" he demanded.

"No! Why!

"You betrayed us Jewel. You and your party acted deceptively. You're lucky I'm only going to kill one of them!"

"NO! PLEASE!" I begged, tears forming in my eyes.

"Which one dies Jewel!"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> D': OMG NO! What's she going to do! Who's she going to choose!

Oh, btw, last chapter to get your votes in for my age ;P There's prizes people, PRIZES :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** So, I was going to like, not upload this for a while. Especially since I have a WHOLE LOT of homework and tests and quizzes coming up and whatever, and because I thought it would be fun to make you guys all stress out about Jewel's choice ;P ...but I just couldn't do it to you guys ;P You owe me ;P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 5, 2024. 6:59 AM... 19 Days Left...<strong>

"_YOU CHOOSE WHICH ONE WILL DIE!" he demanded._

"_No! Why!_

"_You betrayed us Jewel. You and your party acted deceptively. You're lucky I'm only going to kill one of them!"_

"_NO! PLEASE!" I begged, tears forming in my eyes._

"_Which one dies Jewel!"_

"No! Please! Don't do this! You don't have to do this! We'll get you what you want!"

"It's too late for that Jewel. You had your chance and you blew it. Someone is going to pay now! Someone is going to die!"

"You don't have to do this! I'll get you what you want!"

"You're trying my patience girl! You decide who dies, or I will!"

I looked at the boss through my teary eyes and saw nothing but cruelty and hatred in him.

"You've got thirty seconds to make a choice, or they'll both die," he threatened.

I stared back at Mello and my baby girl as hot, angry tears poured down my face. Violent tremors and sobs started shaking my body uncontrollably.

"CHOOSE!" he demanded again, "You have twenty seconds!"

I couldn't let them both be killed! I had to do something, but what? If I tried to fight the boss the two gunmen would kill my family. If I went after the gunmen I might be able to stop one of them before I and the person I chose to save would be shot; but the other would surely die.

Whatever happened, whichever one lived and whichever one died, it was going to be on my hands.

I was going to be the killer here, not the gunmen.

"Fifteen seconds! Make your choice!"

I couldn't kill my daughter, and I wouldn't kill Mello!

I had just gotten Mello back! After all these years Mello was mine again! I wouldn't let him go! I couldn't! Not again!

I wouldn't end my daughter's life. She was barely ten years old. She was so smart and beautiful and loving. She was such a kind soul! She was like Mello and I and yet she wasn't like either of us. She loved literature and poetry. She loved nature and flowers and was going to do good things with her life. She was purity in its rawest form.

"Ten seconds!" the boss called.

An uncontrollable wailing erupted inside of me; deafening me from the inside out.

I looked over to my baby girl and saw tears and fear in her azure eyes. I loved her so much, and it was my duty to protect her. It was my job to keep her safe! I would not be responsible for her death.

'I love you baby,' I mouthed at her. She closed her eyes, bowed her head and started crying full force.

I looked over to Mello and saw nothing and yet everything in his eyes. I saw fear and worry, and I saw that he was trying to hide it. I saw that Mello was trying to be strong because in his eyes he was the obvious choice.

'It's okay," he mouthed at me, and nodded slowly. 'I love you Jesse,' I read on his lips.

He was sacrificing himself.

A flood of tears flowed down my face and brought my hands to my face to try to hold them in.

"Five seconds!"

My shaking intensified.

"Four seconds!"

My heart jammed in my throat.

"Three seconds!"

My breathing ceased.

"Two seconds!"

I bowed my head and closed my eyes tightly.

"CHOOSE!"

I only had one choice.

"M-m-me," I stuttered.

"What?"

"ME!" I shouted, my resolve strengthening. "Let them go and kill me!" I begged. "Please! Let me be the one to die! Just let them go! Don't kill them!" I pleaded.

"Mommy no!" I heard over my sobs.

"Jewel! What are you doing!"

"You for them?" the boss asked, incredulous.

"Me for them," I whispered, my breathing returning to normal and my tears slowing.

They wouldn't have to die. They could both live. Mello could look after Michelle, and keep her safe.

"Jewel are you crazy!"

I sniffled and looked up at Mello. A small smile made its way to my lips. "I can save you Mello. I can save both of you."

"Jewel you don't have to do this! Just pick me."

"I won't do that Mello," I shook my head. "I can't kill you. I won't."

Mello struggled in vain against his captors. "Don't listen to her Gunner!" Mello said, addressing the man behind me. So that was his name; knowing it was a moot point now, I wouldn't be around long enough to use it.

An evil laugh came from the guy behind me and he said, "It was lady's choice Mello. You know that. It was an interesting choice, but I am obliged to honour it."

"You gave her a choice between me and the kid! She wasn't a factor in this."

"Her choice was a little creative, but it is one I can accept," I could hear the sneer in Gunner's voice.

"It's alright Mello. I want to do this. I want to save you!"

"Jewel! Your life is worth more than mine, don't throw it away!"

"But I'm not throwing it away Mello. I'm trading it. I'm trading it for a life that means so much more to me than my own."

"Jewel no!" I saw fear and pain behind Mello's eyes now, and a determination to not let me get away with my decision.

I smiled and the tears started again, lighter this time than they had been before. "It'll be okay Mello," I said again. "Just take care of her okay?" I said, motioning to my daughter... to OUR daughter. "She's yours now. Raise her right okay?"

"Mommy!" my little princess called.

"It'll be okay babe," I smiled at her through my tears. I lost myself for a moment as I realized this was going to be the last time I saw her.

"Mommy no! You have to stay with me!"

"You have Mello now kid," I sniffled, "and uncle Matt. You're really going to like him, he's a lot of fun." I saw my little girl about to break down so I said, "You have to be brave hun! It's up to you now," I winked. "Make me proud kid."

She bowed her head and started crying again.

"Jewel, c'mon!" Mello pleaded. "Think for a second. Take it back. Marsh needs you!"

"And I need both of you," I said. "You're asking me to kill one of you, and live the rest of my life with that choice."

"Jewel, you survived eleven and a half years without me! You can survive another eleven and then some. Marsh needs you!"

"No Mello," I smiled again, "she needs you now. I've taught her everything I know, it's time for you to take over."

"But-"

"Alright, enough of this!" Gunner cut in. "We get it. You don't approve, the kid is going to be disappointed either way, and this is the only way Jewel can die with a clear conscience. End of story."

Gunner gave me a sharp kick to the back of my knees and I fell to the floor. Another round of cries and protests erupted around me as I felt the cold steel barrel of my own gun press up against my temple.

I squinted my eyes shut hard and tried desperately to fight the sudden and intense fear that jolted like lightning through my blood.

I didn't want to die, I didn't.

Gevanni had accused me of being ready to die. I had responded by telling him that I was merely resigned to my fate. But neither was true. I never wished to die, and I wasn't ready to. But if that's what it took; if that's what it took to be able to save the two people I cared more about in life than anything... I was willing to do it.

"Any last words?" Gunner asked as the steel barrel was pushed harder against my head.

"I love you Mello, I love you Marsh." I wanted to call them by their given names. I wanted to say Mihael and Michelle and taste the sweetness of those two words one last time, but I knew I couldn't compromise them in front of Gunner and his men.

Just one more sacrifice.

I heard Gunner cock my gun and I waited. I waited for the shot and I wondered if it would hurt. Would I feel it, or would I die instantly? I tensed up and shut my eyes so tight it hurt.

BANG!

A tiny, shrill cry escaped my throat and I felt my body jump.

I waited. I waited for pain, I waited for blackness, I waited for the nothingness.

BANG! BANG!

Three shots? Weren't three shots a little excessive? Maybe he just wanted to make sure I was dead.

BANG-BANG! BANG!

Two more shots in quick succession and then a third. Maybe this guy just really hated me. Maybe he had gone against his word and shot Mello and Marsh too. My heart sank at the thought.

Then I realised something. I realised that I was realising things, and, that bothered me. Wasn't I supposed to be dead? Maybe I hadn't died right away. Maybe I was bleeding out and it would have to take another couple minutes before I truly died. Or maybe my body was dead but my spirit, or my soul or both were still trapped inside.

Then I heard something.

The gunshots had caused quite a ringing in my ears, but as it cleared I heard something else. I heard something resembling the noise one hears outside if a beehive. The sound of a thousand vibrating, paper-thin wings. The sound of a thousand tiny hearts beating all at once, the sound of thousands of tiny feet all stamping around on wax honeycombs.

As more time passed the buzzing and humming became more distinct, more discernable. Like an old radio; all you get is static and then, like magic you start to hear things, you hear voices and recognizable sounds. You turn the dial ever so carefully, don't go too far. Slower, don't miss the channel!

I almost had it, but that's when the pain started. A terribly tight squeezing around my chest.

I had once had a python wrap itself around my arm, and the squeezing and pressure then was much like the squeezing and pressure now. It was getting harder and harder to breathe by the second. I wasn't taking in air and the pressure was increasing exponentially. Then it spread. It spread into my waist and around my neck and head. I tried to fight against it but my arms were pinned to my sides and I couldn't feel my legs.

I fought desperately to pull in enough air, to extend what few remaining moments I had left. A life in pain, I had decided, was better than no life at all.

But as I struggled for my life I noticed that the noises were still becoming clearer. The buzzing, the static, was turning into... voices.

I couldn't tell how many at first; they were all jumbled into one. I focused on them and tried to pull them apart. My pain and the squeezing in my chest had taken a backseat in my mind, I had one last puzzle to solve.

Voices; three voices of varying pitch and depth. I listened harder; I had to find the words. I concentrated and like a swimmer breaking the surface of the water everything came into focus.

"Jewel! Jewel can you hear me?"

"Mommy! Mommy wake up!"

"Gem! C'mon kid! Open your eyes!"

I didn't want to. I was afraid of what I would see. I was afraid of what was happening around me.

I opened my eyes slowly and life came into focus.

I found myself in the centre of an epic group hug. My little girl had latched herself around my waist in a death grip. Mello had his arms wrapped tightly around my back and was holding me desperately to him and Matt, Matt had my head completely trapped in his arms.

I took all this in, and then passed out.

* * *

><p>I woke up a little while later to the sound of people talking above me.<p>

"It was probably just shock or stress."

"She'll be just fine I'm sure."

"When is she going to wake up?"

"She's sure been fainting a lot."

"Can you blame her?"

As soon as I opened my eyes all talking ceased and all eyes turned to me.

I sat up self consciously and looked around. I was once again in my own bed, but this time there were five people with me, not just three. A petite platinum blonde was sitting at the foot of my bed, legs crossed and wide eyes watching me intently. Mello and Matt were on my left, and Gevanni and Near were on my right.

"Okay, in three sentences or less, someone tell me what happened."

"Well Matt came in and-"

"No, no, no. From the beginning." I looked at my little girl at my feet. "Just how did you get there?"

She sheepishly ducked her head and said quietly, "I just wanted to help. I'm really sorry mommy."

I wrinkled my face in a mock show of displeasure. I couldn't stay mad at her and I was just so happy she was still alive. I was just so happy I would still be able to hold her and kiss her and tell her every day how important she was to me.

"When we were leaving, Marsh said she wanted to stay here. She promised she was going to behave. We figure she followed you," Gevanni explained.

"I got out by picking the lock on my cell, but the guards showed up and I didn't have enough time to get Mello out, so I just booked it. I regrouped and came back with weaponry," Matt said.

"They took me into that room we were in and brought Marsh in right after. That's about when you showed up," Mello told me.

"Matt came and got us," Near started. "We got to you guys just in time by the look of it."

Not more than two sentences each; collectively ten sentences. I shook my head in disappointment, but it wasn't anything I couldn't wrap my head around.

"So what happens now?" I asked and yawned. Today... these past five days, had been more than trying.

As Near started to answer I opened my arms wide to the tiny ten year old at the end of my bed. A large smile grew on her face and her eyes lit up and sparkled; the horrors of this morning already long forgotten from her mind. I leaned against the back wall and held her close as Near explained the situation.

Near talked about the bomb and the money. How the two were still missing and it was up to us to do something about it, but I wasn't hearing him. All I could focus on right then was the rise and fall of my girl's chest and the feel of her heart beat against me.

"We're still working on the S.W.A.T. team lead you gave us, but no one seems to know anything. It's more or less a dead end right now."

"Someone knows something," I interrupted. "We just need to dig a little deeper."

"I have an idea," Gevanni cut in and I heard an angry undertone in his voice. "Why don't YOU tell us what happened to them before anybody else gets hurt!" his accusation was directed at Mello.

"Me!" Mello responded, "This was out of my hands a long time ago. As soon as you and your team showed up it became a free for all. Don't you dare try to pin this on us."

"It's your fault there even is a bomb!"

"You guys should have taken care of it! Isn't that your job? Isn't that what you were trained for?"

"Your bomb almost got a lot of people killed! My men at the office building, your own friend Matt, Marsh, and oh yeah! My fiancé!"

Oh crap.

I bowed my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. I could REALLY go for some bubblegum right now.

Like he was reading my mind, or just my body language, Matt shuffled over to my desk, opened the top drawer and pulled out a full pack of Bubblicious. He tossed it underhand at me.

"THIS guy?" Mello shot at me, and I gave a kind of sheepish, I-don't-know-what-you-want-here, kind of shrug. I popped a brick of gum into my mouth.

"Yes 'this guy'!" Gevanni came back. I could tell that even he was having trouble controlling his temper now. He was usually as reserved than Near.

"She's my daughter's mother."

"She's my fiancé."

"She doesn't belong to you!" they both said at once.

"Well this just got awkward," I interrupted. I scooted around Michelle and got off my bed at the end so as not to appear to be choosing sides. I wasn't getting into it with them right now. I went into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich.

Halfway through my endeavour I heard five pairs of feet come in behind me.

"Look, this can be dealt with later. There's a bigger problem we have right now," Mello spoke up.

I turned to face them. "What is it?" I asked. I was sure that there wasn't a whole lot that could move me anymore.

"That bomb's timer was preset," Mello said, a stern and serious expression on his face and in his tone. "It's set to go off, no matter what, in nineteen days."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Thanks to all who voted on my age :D You're all pretty awesome, and quite the uniform guesses all around I found. But there is one clear winner... and one person who's getting a runner up prize just because someone was paying some serious attention to detail ;P They'll be announced in the next chapter :)

...And no, I'm not actually going to tell you all my age ^_^ There've got to be some mysteries in life ;P


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** I HAVE A LOGICAL REASON! In fact, Jewel and I both have logical reasons for choosing Gevanni LOL ;P Just wait, it's going to be good, ha-ha.

**WINNERS:** The person who came closest to guessing my age was...

snowflakeyukiharuno :D

...and Ryadai gets an uber honourable mention for guessing the exact amount of months for how old I am :P

Thanks all, so much for voting ^_^ You guys are the best, and all your guesses were pretty darn close :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 5, 2024. 1:25 PM... 19 Days Left...<strong>

"_She's my daughter's mother."_

"_She's my fiancé."_

"_She doesn't belong to you!" they both said at once._

"_Well this just got awkward," I interrupted. I scooted around Michelle and got off my bed at the end so as not to appear to be choosing sides. I wasn't getting into it with them right now. I went into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich._

_Halfway through my endeavour I heard five pairs of feet come in behind me._

"_Look, this can be dealt with later. There's a bigger problem we have right now," Mello spoke up._

_I turned to face them. "What is it?" I asked. I was sure that there wasn't a whole lot that could move me anymore._

"_That bomb's timer was preset," Mello said, a stern and serious expression on his face and in his tone. "It's set to go off, no matter what, in nineteen days."_

"What?" I shouted.

"Nineteen days or wherever it is, it blows up, and kills whoever's beside it," Mello affirmed.

It was a plain, black leather briefcase, standard business size. It could have been anywhere.

"You've got to be kidding me! Why did you guys set it to go off?"

"It's what they specified. We don't ask questions."

"Well maybe you should start," Gevanni cut it.

"Nobody asked you," Mello shot back.

"If you'd been a little smarter in the first place, no one would have to ask me."

"I'm about a bazillion times smarter than you are."

"Which is why you dropped out of Wammy's."

"Hey now! What's that say about me!" I jumped back into the argument.

"And me!" Matt added.

"Wammy's was too mainstream, too pedestrian for me!" Mello came back.

"HEY!" Matt and I said at once.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Near huddling in a corner pulling at his hair.

'Talk about a clinical case of regression,' I thought to myself and shook my head.

"...You're not intelligent enough to be with her!" I heard Mello accuse, coming back halfway through his rebuttal.

"At least I never left her! Not even once!"

Last. Straw.

"ALRIGHT EVERYBODY! ATTENTION!" I slammed my fist down on the closest countertop. If Near wasn't going to intervene to stop this childish argument, I was.

Five pairs of stunned eyes turned towards me and all shouting ceased.

"Thank you! Now, I'm talking charge around here! This isn't going to be an issue anymore. We have a bomb to find and we only have nineteen days to do it!"

"You and I have a wedding to plan, and we only have nineteen days!" Gevanni cut in, and I shot him a death glare for interrupting me.

"I think the wedding can freaking wait!" I said sternly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mello shoot me a look of his own, but I refused to meet it. "Now-"

"We already sent out the invitations," Gevanni cut me off again.

"Interrupt me one, more, time," I threatened, and death glared him again so that he knew I meant it. I saw Mello about to say something then and I shot him a look too. "Don't you even start!" I pointed my finger at him. "The next one who speaks out of turn gets a timeout and I don't care how old you are!" I asserted. I took a deep breath and started again. "Now! Near!" I pointed a long, slender finger at him. "What progress have you made with the S.W.A.T. team?"

Near looked like he wasn't going to say anything for a second but then answered with, "I contacted the head of the team we used and asked for a complete and total inventory of their building."

"Not good enough. You're going to take Gevanni and form two teams! Team A is going to interview each and every one of the people in that organization that we've dealt with and cross reference the information we get! Team B is going check the personal history of each and every person in that organization that we've dealt with to see if there's any reason any one of them might have for a bomb. Get it?"

Near nodded.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU SOLDIER!"

"Yes." Near answered, and I swore I could almost detect a hint of annoyance in his voice and expression. I had managed to incite an emotional response from my stoic brother. Score one Jewel.

"Get it Gevanni?" I asked sternly.

"Yes," he responded grudgingly.

"YOU TWO!" I shouted, directing my attention to Matt and Mello. "You two are going to hit the streets, and or the computer systems and dredge up whatever you can find! Anything on bombs, or organizations that could possibly have a use for them! GOT IT!"

Matt saluted me and I wasn't sure if he was mocking me, or being serious. I figured narrowing my eyes at him would be a good in-between response to his gesture. I glanced over at Mello for his response but I got none. "Got it?" I asked him again and arched my eyebrow.

"Got it," he said, and his tone reminded me of a stuck-up teenager's. I curled my lips but didn't press the issue.

"You now!" I directed my attention to the wide-eyed blonde that came only to chest height on me.

"Yes sir!" she saluted in complete earnestness. I had to use every fibre of my being to resist the urge to coo and giggle at her cute adorable self being all serious. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Matt absolutely melt at the little blonde having copied his previous action.

"You're going with uncle Near and you are to STAY in his eyesight at all times. 'Stay' as in the verb. Infinitive form, 'to stay;' meaning, to remain through/during or for, a period of time. You are to stay in his eyesight at all times whilst not getting in his way. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" she saluted again. I allowed a small smile and shook my head at her ridiculousness.

"Now! Any questions!"

"Yeah," Mello started and I have him my most uncompromising look. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Me?" I asked back and he nodded. "I am going to finish off all the food we have in this house. I am going to send out for a crate of bubblegum, I'm going to drink so much tea the people in China and Japan would think I was crazy, I'm going to take a long, hot bath with rose petals, jasmine bubble bath and candles and then I'm going to take a nice long nap and not wake up until I freaking feel like it. AND THEN, and only THEN, I will decided what I am going to do with regards to this case. And if any one of you has any complaints, or if I find any one of you standing over me when I wake up I'll, send you to Antarctica and then you'll have something to complain about.

NOW EVERYBODY OUT!"

My place was empty and silent in thirty seconds flat.

I had never yelled at them like that. I'd never really spoken up like that at all... At least not to all of them at once. Gevanni and I had had our spats, and heaven knows Mello and I had gone more than a couple rounds, I'd let Near have it a couple times, but that was the extent of it.

I felt really bad for it.

But could any of them blame me? This past week I had been shot at, challenged, and told I was going insane. I had: been told my case was a total bust, seen dead people, been starved, been threatened, learned that my ex knew about his daughter, fainted, been in the worst position in my life of having to choose whether my love, my daughter or myself was going to die, had almost died, had fainted again and had been caught in the middle of a vicious quarrel. No, they really couldn't hold it against me.

I felt so guilty.

And then I told myself that nothing had been getting done, and that things were getting done now. I told myself that the ends justified the means, and I was satisfied with my outburst.

I started with my bath.

* * *

><p>Once I had checked off all the items on my list of things to do, I grabbed a notepad and a pen and sat down on front of my coffee table in the living room. There had to be something I was missing, there had to be something I had seen or heard that day that would unlock the mystery of what happened to that bomb.<p>

I played out the event in my mind's eye.

_Two groups of men strolled in simultaneously. One from the left, and one from the right; one from the west and one from the east._

"Near, are you getting this?" I asked aloud like I had wanted to back then.

_The group on the felt was more or less facing me. I could see all of their faces, and I almost wished I couldn't; they weren't much to look at. There were five of them, all ripped with the type of muscles that come from a bottle and not from hard work. All of them could've used a trip to the dentist and all of them had been to the tattoo parlour one too many times. The lead guy had a shaved head and a half a dozen piercings in his face; the one I assumed to be his second in command had just as many pricings, but also had a ponytail of long and greasy black hair, he was the one holding the briefcase._

_The group coming in from the right I really couldn't see very well; I was staring at their backs. As a whole they all seemed to be slimmer and marginally shorter, but I couldn't really make a good call on heights when I was thirty feet in the air. Four of them were wearing black hoodies, all with the hoods up. One of the hooded characters was carrying a briefcase, and so was the guy I took to be their leader._

"Mello. Not possible," I said as I played back the scene behind closed eyes.

_Another briefcase; a third._

_Briefcase 3 = laptop._

_Briefcase 2 = money._

The briefcase Mello was holding had to be the bomb... Although, I'd never actually seen it.

_Muzzle flash. Bullets. Shattered glass._

_Falling._

_Bullets._

_"Don't let her escape!"_

_"Stop her!" I heard between gunshots._

_"Hey, wait a minute!"_

_Roof._

_"Jewel. Jewel come in." Static._

"Send in the backup!" I spoke in the present.

_The S.W.A.T. team._

_The briefcase._

But which one? I couldn't be definitively sure that the briefcase Mello was holding was the one with the bomb in it.

'Ask Mello about which bomb he had, and what went on in the warehouse after I got on the roof,' I wrote on my notepad.

I went back to the unfolding chaos. I went back to the moment just after I had taken the bomb off of Mello's motorcycle.

_"HEY!" I shouted at one of the S.W.A.T. I tossed the briefcase at him; I made sure he had caught it._

"Him! That S.W.A.T. member was the last person I had seen with the briefcase before I left. I hadn't seen his face because he had been wearing a darkened helmet like each of the other people who were there.

I squinted my eyes closed and thought hard.

Average build, average height. He hadn't said anything.

Damn.

'Check recording of video feed from my surveillance equipment,' I wrote on my notepad under my note for Mello.

I picked up my phone off the cradle then and dialled Near's number at the office.

"Hello?"

"Yeah Near, I'm going to need to go over the recordings made off of my feed of the warehouse that day and can you put me in touch with Mello, I have a couple questions to ask him."

"Funny, 'cause I have a couple questions to ask you too."

I jumped up and spun around to be ready to defend myself against the voice that had come from behind me.

Mello was letting himself in through my door.

"You still don't knock, do you?" I asked him.

"What?" Near asked into the phone, still on the other line.

"Nothing Near, never mind for now, I'll call you back. Thanks." I laid the phone back on the cradle and stared up at Mello. He seemed kind of, forlorn. Which was, for Mello, quite out of the ordinary. "What's up?" I asked him, worrying slightly at his expression.

"You're really going to marry that tool in nineteen days?"

"You're really going to come right out and call him a tool?"

"You heard what he was saying," Mello said defensively.

"I heard you both arguing like five year olds," I said back.

"Why him?" Mello asked me suddenly.

"Are we really going to go there Mello?" I asked back, turning away from him. I just couldn't look him in the eyes right then. Mello didn't answer but I felt his stern gaze at the back of my head. "You were gone Mello. As far as I knew you were never coming back. I was alone... Again."

"So why him?" Mello asked again.

"Would your anger at me be any different if it was someone else?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah right." I hung my head as I prepared to answer Mello's question. "Who else was it supposed to be Mello?

"Anybody."

"Anybody?" I asked sceptically.

"Yeah, anybody. You could have-"

I spun back around to face him and cut him off, "I could have met some guy at the corner pub one right. We could have really hit it off and we could have started dating," I started with mock enthusiasm. "We could've gotten really close and really started to like each other. But then, a couple months down the road, this guy, he would've realized he knows absolutely nothing about me. So one day, the inevitable conversation happens, he says:  
>'So, tell me about yourself Jewel. Tell me your life story.' He says 'Jewel' because I still can't give out my real name, and he wants to know my life story, because I've kept it bottled up inside me the whole time. But I decide to trust him, so I say:<br>'Well, I was born a twin a really long time ago. My parents died in a fire and so my brother and I got sent to this orphanage over in Winchester England. But get this...' I'd say, 'this 'orphanage' is really a school. A school to groom all the kids there, to get them ready to one day take on the role of the greatest detective on Earth! So while I'm at this school I meet this one guy right, and I absolutely fall in love with him, and I hope that one day, things are going to turn out right for us. But even though we've been through a lot, we're both still just kids. So that aside, while I'm at this orphanage I actually get to meet the greatest detective on Earth! His name is L and he drafted ME! Me of all people to help him with this one case. Maybe you've heard of it. It was the Kira investigation!' And then," I explain to Mello, "this guy gets a look of total incredulity! He doesn't believe me, but I continue anyway. I tell him, 'Everything was going just fine too, until, oh yeah, L died. So I went back to Winchester and I felt so hopeless and useless! Especially when the guy I'd fallen in love with leaves. So what do I do? Years later I move to Los Angeles, and I'm finally getting settled in when, who shows up? The guy from the school. He asks me to help him solve the Kira case, because of course, it hasn't been solved yet as L has died and my little brother had to take his place!"

I pause to take a breath, ignoring Mello's unwavering stare.

"'I helped him the best that I could,' I'll explain to this guy, 'but it still wasn't good enough. The case finally got solved but I lost my best friend and the one I'd fallen in love with. But hey, at least the case is over. I then however find out I'm carrying this guy's kid. Yeah, I've got a kid, if I've forgotten to tell you all these months, sorry. So then I raise her, and ship her off to the same school I went to as a kid, and now I'm working for my brother, the new L.' What do you think?" I ask Mello. "I can see that going over well," I sneer.

"You could lie," Mello finally says.

"Mello, I've been lying about who I am my entire life. I'm sick of it. So that's why Gevanni. Gevanni was there when I was carrying Marsh. Gevanni knows the life Near and I have had. I wouldn't have to explain my crazy, messed up life to him. He was there when I went to work for Near, he was there when I needed a shoulder to cry on!" I shout and I realise the volume of my voice has been steadily escalating for the past five minutes, and I realise that I've started crying. I buried my face in my hands and dumped myself onto the couch.

"He never left you. Not even once," Mello said, quoting Gevanni's earlier words as he sat down beside me on the couch. "It seems every time I leave you, you end up with more scars."

I felt Mello's hand brush my shirt sleeve out of the way, and I felt him run his fingers gently across the ragged white lines. I felt his other hand start at my leg. I felt him trace the patterns of the scars that were there through the fabric of the denim. Mello's hand left my arm and I felt him place it on my chest over my heart.

I started crying harder.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Now, MY reasons for having Gevanni be "that guy" LOL ;P

I didn't want to create another OC. I find when authors stuff too many OC's in any one given story, things get confusing.

Of course then, it had to be somebody already in the story, and there were only two 'surviving' males (Near, and Gevanni) and one of them was Jewel's brother... So this reason speaks for itself.

I wanted to have it be someone that you guys wouldn't get too attached to. If I made her fiancé some sweet, caring and understanding guy (IE Matsuda,) there could have been some debate and controversy there for what I have planned at the end ...And if I made the guy a total asshole, it would have been unbelievable.

Therefore, Gevanni ;P

So, I hope you all approve of, or at least understand, my choice now, LOL ;)


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** So, I've been challenged to the '10 Hour Pikachu Song' thingy. So like the title suggests it's this YouTube video that plays the Pickachu song for 10 hours. I'm on the fifteen minute mark right now, and I'm going all the way! (Except that there's school tomorrow, but you watch! I WILL make it to midnight! (It's 5:30 local time ha-ha.))

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 5, 2024. 10:59 PM... 19 Days Left...<strong>

_I felt Mello's hand brush my shirt sleeve out of the way, and I felt him run his fingers gently across the ragged white lines. I felt his other hand start at my leg. I felt him trace the patterns of the scars that were there through the fabric of the denim. Mello's hand left my arm and I felt him place it on my chest over my heart._

_I started crying harder._

I cried bitterly for another couple minutes before I was finally able to pull myself together enough to remember that I had questions for Mello myself. I sniffled for a second and then asked, "Mello, what happened after I left the warehouse that afternoon. Was the briefcase I grabbed from you really the bomb, or did you make the switch while you were still inside?"

"No, it was really the bomb," Mello said, seemingly shaking off the past couple minutes of my tear filled angst like they'd never happened. "There's this, I don't know, rule? Basically if anything like that comes up, where any of our situations has been compromised we all leave with whatever we brought. There was this huge fuss a couple years back where two gangs went to make a deal right, but the one had actually orchestrated a mock invasion in order to hasten the deal. Basically the leader of the one gang who was paying for the drugs the other guy was selling, didn't bring enough money. He was hoping if the 'cops' burst in or whatever he could make the deal fast without the other guys counting what he had brought right? He almost got away with it too. So now we all just take our own junk out when something like that happens," he shrugged.

"What happened to the guy?" I asked.

Mello shot me a look that said, 'What do you think happened to him?'

"Oh," I muttered. "I guess I'm just going to have to take another look at the surveillance video we got." I thought for a moment and then asked, "How are you and Matt coming along?"

"Matt's going through the computer systems and contacting some of our old business partners and mole's to see if he can find something. Nothing yet."

"Rats," I muttered.

"You know, I think we're going to start putting trackers in the damn things."

"The bombs?"

"No, our shoes. Of course the bombs."

"No need to get snappy," I scolded.

Mello grunted an apology and stood up off the couch.

"What kind of blast radius are we talking for this thing?" I finally had the courage to ask.

"It'll cover your standard office building," he told me. "Placed on the main floor it'd probably take the whole thing down."

"Great! What'd you guys use?"

"Just about everything. Thermite, nitro-glycerine, some C-4, the usual."

"Isn't the thermite a little excessive?"

"It's a nice fuel," he said casually, as if we were talking about baking cakes instead of bombs.

"Uh-huh. Well I've got to get back to the office. I've got to check the recordings we made. I might find something. Give me your number in case I need to reach you again," I said, pulling out my cell. Mello took it from me and punched his number in.

"Just call if you need anything," he said quietly.

"Sure Mello... We'd better get going," I said back even softer.

"Yeah, I'm going to go see what progress Matt's making."

I hung my head as Mello stalked towards the door. I'd heard it in his voice; he still wasn't as cool with Gevanni as he'd have me believe.

"Mello!" I called as his hand reached for the door knob.

He paused without turning around. "What is it Jewel?" he asked when I didn't speak and I realised I didn't really know what to say to him. There was a long silence between us before Mello finally said, "It's okay Jewel, I get it."

That didn't make me feel any better.

After the door closed behind Mello, I stood stationary for a second and then into my room and into my closet. I took the tiny, black velvet box off of the top shelf and brushed months of dust off of it. I sat on my bed, folded back the top and stared in at the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.

It was quite a simple thing; white braided gold and a princess cut stone... it was gorgeous. Eleven years and I still shone as brilliantly as it had the first time I had seen it. I pulled the ring out and held it under the light and watched tiny rainbows and little lasers of light reflect inside the prism.

I was mesmerised by the light until a slamming door jolted me from my hypnotic state. Did no one I knew ever bother to knock? I slid the ring back into its box and slid the box into my pocket.

"Jewel!" I heard from my hallway. It was a voice that should have relaxed me, but it didn't.

"I'll be right there Gevanni," I called back.

I stood from my bed and made my way back into the hallway, wrinkling my nose at the colour of the walls. I'd been living in this apartment for about as long as I could remember, and the whole time I'd been planning to paint the walls a new colour. I still hadn't gotten around to it. The colour they were right now was taupe. It was a neutral enough colour, but certainly not my favourite, and after something like thirteen years I definitely needed a change! Maybe a nice soft mauve or a cerulean.

"What can I do for you Gevanni?"

"Is Mello here?" he asked me, and I was instantly insulted.

"No," I grumbled.

"I heard he was."

"You heard wrong." ...It wasn't a lie. Mello wasn't here any longer.

"Whatever. Jewel, I think you need to stay away from him from now on."

"EXCUSE ME!" I shot.

"He's bad news Jewel, and you know you're only going to end up getting hurt again. I'm only saying this for your own good!"

"Well I can take care of myself, okay. I don't need you to look after me."

"You know I'm right Jewel. He left you twice already. He's going to do it again."

"What of it?"

"I've seen what it does to you. You know he isn't going to stick around any longer this time. I'm sorry Jewel, but he doesn't want you. Not for the long haul, not the way I do."

I glared up at him, an expression of hurt on my face.

"Jewel, I asked you to marry me. I want so share a life with you," I could hear the pleading in Gevanni's voice. "I know we've been fighting a lot lately, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. I love you Jewel, and I love Marsh too. Was Mello there when Marsh was born? Was he there when she got the chickenpox or when that girl cried and cried and cried when her first pet fish died? Was Mello there when you started her at Wammy's?"

I didn't want to listen to him. I didn't want to hear what Gevanni was telling me. I looked up into Gevanni's steel blue eyes and tried desperately to ignore how what he was saying was true. And I tried desperately to ignore how I'd grown to feel about him all these past years.

Gevanni had been there while I was suffering and alone. It had started with coffees at work, and then led to coffees after work. It had gone from dinner dates to the morning after. I'd cried and told Gevanni all about my crazy childhood and I had let him console me.

I loved Gevanni.

But the truth was that Mello WAS back.

But now, if I left Gevanni and went with Mello, would that be a betrayal to him? And, as much as I hated to, I had to admit to myself, Gevanni was probably right about Mello. If I could count on him for anything, it wasn't sticking around. And besides, Mello hadn't even expressed any interest in me since he'd been back. Sure he'd voiced his opinion on Gevanni, but Mello had yet to say anything about actually wanting me back! ...Surely he did though, right? I mean, this was Mello. Mello had always, always had a hard time putting his feelings into words.

"...He, he left to keep me safe," I finally managed. "He didn't want me getting hurt because of the life he'd chosen."

"But that's just it, isn't it Jewel? If he really loved you, if he really wanted you, he would have given up that life. He would've straightened up and joined the right side of the law." Gevanni let that sink in for a minute before he said, "Now come on. Near sent me to pick you up. He said you wanted to take a look at the tapes we made of the warehouse. I've got the car downstairs."

"I could have walked. It's not that far."

"It's late. I didn't want you getting kidnapped again or anything."

"It was my house they kidnapped me in last time, not the streets."

"Would you like me to have someone stay with you 24/7?"

"Never mind," I sighed.

* * *

><p>Gevanni walked me down to the car and opened my door for me. I slid into the darkened Mercedes and did up my seatbelt as Gevanni got in the driver's side. He turned the engine over and we started on our way in silence, the orange glow from the street lights casting mysterious shadows in the car every dozen feet.<p>

I sighed and pulled my cell out then. There was something that I had to know. I ran over the commands in my phone and texted to Mello the same words he had asked me almost exactly seventeen years ago. The same words he had asked me back at Wammy's when we had just been kids.

'What am I to you?'

Not a minute later I got a text back.

'Meet me at sunrise in the park.'

I closed my phone, laid it in my lap and thought about life on the way to the office.

Life with Mello represented everything I ever wanted. He was my first true love, and life with him wouldn't ever get dull. We would challenge each other, and make the most out of every single day we were together. But he was wild and reckless, prone to disappearing and refused to let anybody help him with anything. I could see us getting into fights at all hours of the night and having him storm out, not hearing from him again until he was good and cooled off. I could see myself crying over him again and again and again.

Life with Gevanni represented stability. I could settle down and raise my family and not have to worry about my life being threatened at every turn. I could work on the right side of the law. I would have time after work to come home and take care of my little girl. I could be there for her in ways that just weren't possible if I went to be with Mello and that wasn't fair to her. I could make an honest living and live comfortably. I wouldn't have to deal with greasy, muscle bound guys with tattoos and piercings.

I sighed heavily as we pulled up to our organizations headquarters.

I slid soundlessly out of the car without even waiting for Gevanni and made my way through the lobby, up the elevator, and into Near's office.

"The video equipment is all set up in your office."

"Hello to you too," I muttered and made my way across the hall, wondering for maybe the first time, if Near EVER left this building.

I strolled into my office and flipped on the lights. The walls in my office were taupe too. I sat down at my swivelling computer chair and started up the playback that had already been set up on a range of monitors in front of me.

* * *

><p>For the next five hours I sat at those screens. Taking breaks periodically for tea, snacks, Red Bull and washroom breaks.<p>

My eyes and mind were beyond cloudy by five in the morning. I had been over the video from beginning to end over eighty times and seventy of those eighty were in slow motion. I had run them through the computers, I had run them through every identifying program we had. I'd zoomed in and out and played with the contrast and brightness. I had come up with nothing.

It was 5:05 in the morning when I finally pushed away from my monitors. I yawned and dragged myself through my office to the elevator and down to the ground floor. I let the crisp, early morning air wake me up and clear my head as I made my way home. I didn't even bother to go inside, I just grabbed my car. I had a date... of sorts, and I didn't want to be late.

Mello hadn't specified a specific park, or a specific place in the park. But this was New York, he could really only have meant Central Park, and I had a feeling Mello would find me before I got lost. My suspicions were confirmed when I strolled up to the park and found Mello leaning against a tree, waiting for me.

Neither of us said anything, but I walked to join him and he held his hand out to me. I took it casually and Mello led us to an out of the way place where we could watch the sunrise.

We had made it just in time. The sky over the Eastern horizon was glowing bright yellow, and hues of orange, red, pink and purple were spreading away from it in a slow wave. I told myself then that if I lived to be a hundred I would never be able to fully comprehend the artistry of a sunrise.

"Sure is beautiful," I said finally.

"Yes, you are," Mello answered, replying the scene from back at Wammy's all those years ago, and the scene in fact, which had taken place only a day before Mello had asked me what he was to me.

It seemed to me like the event was just as prevalent in Mello's memory as it was in mine.

"Mello-"

"No, Jewel, I want an answer first. What am I to you?"

'In short,' I thought, 'everything.' But it was so much more complicated than that now. Now I had a little girl that was my 'everything.' And I knew losing Near, or Matt again...

At the thought of Matt I realised that I had paid him all of five minutes of my attention since I found out that he and Mello were alive. I felt like dirt for a moment and vowed to properly show him how glad I was that he too, was alive.

Then of course, there was Gevanni. I hadn't agreed to marry him on a whim; I truly did care about him. We had gotten along just fine only months ago. I had only started picking fights with him since... since he'd proposed. I knew it was only my internal way of dealing with the stress of the whole situation. And still he refused to hold it against me.

"My answer Mello, is that I don't have one. Not now."

"Well, what do you want me to do then?"

I shook my head at him, "No Mello, you can't base your decision on what I want. That won't work for either of us, and you'd end up resenting me if I forced you into something you didn't want."

I dug in my pocket where I had stashed the ring box the night before and held it out to him.

Mello didn't need for me to tell him what it was. "You still have it. But you said-"

"What did you expect me to say?" I asked, cutting him off.

"So, you're giving it back to me?"

"I'm giving you a choice," I said as I placed the tiny black box in his hand.

"What kind of choice?"

"I'm getting married in eighteen days at the Mount Vernon Courthouse at one in the afternoon. If you want me; if you want me forever and ever and everything that comes with that, if you want me to be your wife to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do us part, you'll meet me there at that time and ask me to marry you."

"And what, then you'll marry me?"

"I might marry you."

"Might! What kind of a guarantee is that?"

"The same kind of guarantee you gave me eleven years ago," I said back coolly.

"So, I could go through all the trouble of barging in and breaking up your wedding and you might not even say yes to marrying me?"

"Wouldn't it be worth it?" I asked him. "Wouldn't it be worth it to go down to the courthouse and ask me to marry you, even if there was a chance I would say no? Even if there was a 99.9% chance I'd say no?" I watched him earnestly for a second and then continued with, "If not then I guess you already have your answer, and I'll have mine."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Well, final count for the Pikachu challenge was... 1:01:08. One hour, one minute and eight seconds. And now I feel like my brain melted.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** So, the last couple chapters have been more than a little depressing eh? Well never fear! Here's a nice upbeat, and moderately (key word: moderately) stress free one ;D

...Also, for those of you who already read chapter 11, I made a tiny edit to the last bit of it. I chopped the last two lines :) It worked better without them.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 10, 2024. 9:00 AM... 14 Days Left...<strong>

After the initial panic of the nineteen day time limit wore off, I vowed to make good on my promise to show Matt a proper welcome.

I had Mello get in on it and, although he wasn't that helpful, we manages to pull together a pretty awesome set up if I did say so myself. I took the day off work and pulled Marsh from under the watchful eye of my brother. Together, the three of us lay in wait in my apartment.

"Make the call Mello, I think we're ready."

"This, is a little over the top don't you think?" he asked me.

"You can never be 'over the top' with people you care about," Marsh chipped in and I beamed at her. She was standing right under the open window at the end of my apartment and the bright morning sun that was streaming in was absolutely making her hair glow. She was wearing a halo of pure gold; she was such a little angel.

Mello sighed and smiled and it was obvious the argument was won. And I realised then, that this, this Mello and Marsh and I, it felt good.

Mello pulled out his phone and dialled Matt. "Hey, how busy are you? – Well come over to Jewel's for a second. – Yeah okay, see you soon." Mello folded his phone and stuffed it in his pocket. "He's on his way."

I surveyed the room one last time to make sure I had everything in order. I had pulled out all my old gaming systems, and then added to the collection just recently. I had pulled out all my old games, and then bought dozens more. There were bowls of snacks of every shape, variety and flavour. There were bowls of assorted chocolates for Mello, and bowls of sweets for Marsh. She'd picked up the affinity for sugar from her father no doubt. There were cans of assorted sodas and enough ice in the freezer to make the South Pole jealous.

There were also two presents neatly wrapped and tucked away in the corner of the living room. One for the birthday of Matt's that I'd missed at Wammy's and one for Matt's birthday that had happened just after he had 'died.' Mello had been absolutely useless in telling me what Matt might have wanted, so I had to judge based on what I already knew about Matt... which I realised, wasn't a whole lot.

"Did he say how long he was going to be?" I asked Mello.

"Well we're only stationed a couple blocks down. I'm sure he'll be here soon."

Matt showed up right on cue.

Matt let himself in and upon seeing the vast expanse of games and junk food, I must say, was taken quite aback.

"Uhh, what's going on guys?"

"Uncle Matt!" Marsh leapt up off the couch and into his arms. Matt positively started glowing with happiness.

"You're taking a day off. You've been working too hard," Mello answered for me.

I had had this long speech about how I wanted Matt to feel appreciated, and special, but that all went out the door when he had actually walked in. I still really wasn't good with verbally expressing my feelings... 'Except under extreme duress apparently,' I thought to myself, remembering all the times I had broken down in front of the two of them.

"So...?" Matt asked, all but refusing to release my little angel from his bear hug.

"Gamming party!" Marsh answered excitedly.

"And it's versus you guys?" Matt asked Mello and me sceptically.

"Nope," I answered with an extra pop on the 'p' sound. "You're challenge is her," I said, indicating Marsh. If anybody in this room had a chance in beating Matt at any given game, it was the miniature, pig-tailed blonde.

Marsh was quite the little prodigy. First in line at Wammy's by a long shot and already smarter than Near, Mello or I had ever been at her age. She was well on track to replacing Near one day, and yet, she still retained the childish innocence that the rest of us had lost a long time ago.

"Alright then, let's get started," Matt smiled down at Marsh and she beamed up slyly at him and the whole scene was so adorably cute it was intoxicating.

Fifteen minutes later however, all cuteness was cast aside. The four of us were in a heated battle of Mario Kart. Matt, Mello and I were reserving the use of profane words due to the impressionable pair of ears in the room, but the degree of hostility between us was no secret.

Tilting of the controller became tilting the controller into the other person's controller to throw them off, and items were used mercilessly.

"Cut it out!" I whined as Matt threw a fake question mark box at me.

"MELLO!" Marsh, Matt and I cried at once as he activated a lightning bolt.

"You little runt!" Matt cried as Marsh attacked him with a blue shell. Her maniacal laughter was more cute than creepy, but the idea was there.

Somewhere along the line it had been decided that we would play through all the games we could, and the one who won the most out of them, would be declared the Ultimate Gamer.

I took home the prize in Mario Kart.

Next came a rapid succession of every Mario game available, every COD game, and every other multiplayer game we could get our hands on.

* * *

><p>Just as we were in the middle of an all out Brawl match, my apartment door swung open behind us. A pause was cast on the action and the four of us turned in unison to the person who had dared to interrupt our fun.<p>

"What pray tell is going on here?" Gevanni asked three other members of our organization on his heels.

I stole a glance over the scene.

Matt had four Pocky sticks hanging out of the corner of his mouth like they were cigarettes, and his orange, retro glasses over his eyes. Mello had half a chocolate bar sticking out of his mouth. I watched for a second as he slurped it up without taking his hands off the controller so that the ever melting chocolate didn't break off and fall into his lap. I was in the middle of blowing a huge bubble with my bubblegum and little Marsh had the stick from a lollipop protruding from her lips.

There were candy wrappers everywhere and empty serving bowls with chip crumbs and Cheezie dust left in the bottoms. Empty, and half empty soda cans littered the floor and every available inch of table-top space.

The four of us shared a quick glance; our eyes and expressions all telling the others that we saw nothing wrong with our situation. We all looked back to Gevanni and the other's to see what they had to say about our fun.

"We've been trying to reach the four of you for the past five hours! We were about to send out a search party."

"You didn't think to look here five hours ago?" I asked, sucking the bubble back into my mouth.

"None of you were answering your phones!"

The four of us shared another glance, dropped our controllers into our laps and pulled out our respective cell phones from our respective pockets. We flipped them open in succession and I found that I alone had thirteen missed calls and eight texts. Judging from the looks on the other's faces, they were meeting the same information.

"The house phone was off too!"

"Ohhh yeahhh," I smiled. I hadn't gotten around to turning the ringer back on after I woke up. I hated being woken up in the middle of the night with irrelevant calls.

"We thought you were in trouble," Gevanni charged.

"You were that worried and you waited five hours to check the most obvious place?" Mello scoffed, sucking back more of his melting chocolate.

The looks on their faces in response to Mello's remark boarded on the psychotic. It was somewhere between shocked and infuriated. But really, Mello had a point.

"Give us a minute eh?" I asked, and the four of us went back to our game without waiting for a reply.

"W-what? Are you serious?" I heard behind us as the pinging and crunching and other such animated noises from the game blasted through the speakers.

"Just a second! I'm winning!" I cried, tilting my controller violently, because seriously, it helps.

"Are not!" Matt said from the other side of Mello.

"Get away from me Link!" I warned.

"Don't worry Matt, I got this," Mello teased from beside me.

"Don't you dare Marth!" and I couldn't help myself from laughing when I realised how close Marth's and Marsh's names were.

"Don't worry mommy! I'll save you!" Marsh vowed as an oversized, white Kirby puffed its way toward me.

So. Cute.

"Uhm, we kind of have important matters to discus. You know, about the bomb? But hey, it's just a bomb, no big deal, take your time," an exasperated voice came from the doorway.

"Let yourselves in, grab a seat, have a snack," I coaxed, dodging swords and baseball bats.

"Where?"

I paused they game and earned a round of 'Hey's' as I turned to try to find a place where our four visitors could sit. Mello, Marsh, Matt and I were all seated on the floor in front of the TV, but all of our belongings and assorted collection of junk had ended up on the available couch and chair space.

"Meh, just toss that stuff on the floor. Doesn't matter," I said, turning back to the game and un-pausing it.

"It's like, we walked into a daycare... only, without adults," I heard one of the extra members Gevanni had dragged along say.

"You're just jealous that I didn't invite you," I quipped.

"Noooo!" Matt cried suddenly, and a bout of hysterical laughter erupted from the fourth player to my right.

"Matt no!" Mello shouted, and I laughed inwardly at him, for in the beginning Mello had insisted this whole idea of mine had been childish. He had gotten quite in to it.

"Do they understand that people's lives are in danger?" I heard another one half whisper behind us.

"Darn right people's lives are in danger!" I said seriously as I fended off an aerial attack from Mello. "Matt just got KO'd! ...And I'm next!" I cried as a blast from the super scope sent me off screen. "Noo!" I threw my arms up in defeat.

"Noo!" Mello's cry echoed my own only seconds later.

"YESSSS!" A tiny fist shot into the air in triumph.

We all set our controllers down and sent each other looks of acceptance of our fate. Even Matt, who looked absolutely dejected at having finished fourth ...In his own defence he had played amazingly, and it had been a simple turn of bad luck when he had been unable to recover from an earlier shot off screen.

"Can we get down to business now please?" an impatient brunette with a folder in his hands asked.

"By all means," I said dryly.

"Alright," the brunette started, folding open his file. The rest of us oriented ourselves to face him. "We have recently acquired new information about an underground organization we believe may be connected to the theft of the bomb. We're planning a strategic infiltration of their base of operations."

"Wait a minute," I cut in, "has this information even been verified?"

"How would you have us verify it without going in and checking ourselves?"

"Uh, by cross referencing the information you got with any relevant information relating to the actual time in question. For instance, do these men," I gestured to the file, "have any ties to the S.W.A.T. team that we used?"

"Why are you so fixated on the S.W.A.T. team?" he challenged.

"You're an idiot!" I said flatly. "The member of the S.W.A.T. team I handed the briefcase over to was the last person I personally saw to have it before I left. The rest of you can't seem to place it after that. Therefore it's the most logical place to start."

"Yeah, well we didn't find anything chasing that lead down; it was a dead end."

"Whatever."

"So anyway, we're looking for you guys to be a part of the infiltration," the brunette directed to Mello and Matt and me. "We're going in, in a couple of hours."

"A couple of hours? Short notice much," Mello said.

"Well that's what you get for not answering your phones."

"Well, I guess we should get going-"

"I still don't like this. Do we even know anything about these people? What's this information you just happened to come across? What does Near have to say about this?"

"You don't have to go Jewel," Gevanni cut in. "And in fact, I'd almost prefer if you didn't anyway."

All the eyes in the room were on me.

"Whatever," I muttered. "I'll do it. When and where are we meeting? Is there anything we need to go over beforehand?"

"Their base is a converted office building on the west side. We managed to dig up a floor plan," the guy with the folder said as he handed Matt a sheet of paper.

Matt passed it down the line to Mello and Mello passed it to me. The damn thing was a veritable maze! There were corridors crisscrossing each other all over the place. There was no way the building had been designed for efficiency. Even the stairwells didn't seem to connect. Where the stairwell on one side would end in the northern half of the building, the corresponding set of stairs on the next floor would start on the south side... I strongly believed the blue prints had not been run by a safety inspector before the building was built.

"In a couple of hours we believe the building will be vacated. These people are pretty habitual in their dealings. They always send their people home at the end of their work day; they only keep a skeleton staff on hand after that. Because this is a stealth mission you guys should have no problems."

"So why do we think these people have a bomb? And what exactly are we going in for? Are we actually hoping to find it? You think it'll actually be in there?"

"We hacked into their networking mainframe just last night. After decoding some of their encrypted files we came to learn that they are in fact, in possession of a bomb. We do believe it to be in the building on the top floor. They have a safe there."

"So we sneak in, hack the safe, and get out?" I asked.

"That's about it."

"Alright, let's do this and get it over with," I said reluctantly.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Man, this 'author's note' has gone from, me telling you about parts of my story, to telling you about how my day has been LOL. And speaking of which, I think I caught myself a cold :( I absolutely refuse to come down with anything though! I refuse! I have too much to do; I don't have time to be sick!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Sooo much going on lately and I am NOT exaggerating when I said I had, like 7 midterms these last couple weeks. Talk about intense! But they all went quite well if I do say so myself ^_^ ...except French. French didn't go well :/ Goodbye awesome GPA

Anyway...

Also... we're back to the depressing chapters :)

*Insertes smiley emoticon to throw you off, or perhaps to lighten the atmosphere to make it seem less depressing*

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 10, 2024. 9:00 PM... 14 Days Left...<strong>

"I still don't like this," I whispered to Mello as he, Matt and I made our way along a dark and deserted alleyway to our destination; the converted office building with the supposed bomb in it.

"I'll look out for you okay? It'll be fine. We're just going in and out anyway."

"Yeah, but something feels fishy, don't you think?"

"Look, even if this isn't the bomb we're looking for, we're just going to be in and out; nothing's going to happen. We've both done this at least a dozen times. And Gevanni and his crew are only a block away if we need reinforcements."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I relented.

"Mic check," Matt said into his com.

"Check," Mello said.

"Check," I echoed.

"Gun check," Matt said, and we all checked our pieces. We'd each been given a police issue Beretta for the mission; 'Just in case.'

"Check."

I turned mine over in my hand and clicked the safety off. "Check."

We stalked closer to the building in the dark. The blueprints we had acquired to the building showed a service entrance around the back, we would be using that to get in. It was a set of heavy steel doors; probably secured with sliding-bolt locks into the floors and chained together with a padlock. I had seen this set up many times before.

It was child's play getting inside.

"'Kay, spread out," I heard Mello say into the transmitter he was wearing. "Jewel, you take the north stairs, I'll take the west stairs; Matt, take the elevator."

"Got it."

"On it."

We fanned out across the main floor of the building like spiders. We'd all changed outfits from earlier. We were all wearing all black now, and I had my hair tied up and hidden beneath a black toque. Nothing ever gave me away more quickly than my silver hair being caught in security cameras or catching and reflecting beams of light.

The lights on the main floor however all seemed to be dimed. From the outside of the building we had seen that there were only one or two scattered lights on each of the floors that were actually lit. Bonus for us.

I made my way over to the north stairwell. Not easy in this maze of a building, not easy in the dark, and not easy with my crappy eyesight. I adjusted my glasses on my nose even though I knew it wouldn't help, and pressed on.

When I got to the stairwell door I paused and listened and peaked cautiously through the narrow pane of glass set at eye level in the steel frame. I heard no sound but my own breathing, and saw nothing in the stairwell except the outline of the staircase, lit up by pale, orange emergency lights. I creaked open the door slowly and slid in.

I made it up the first flight and then stopped at the door leading out to the second floor landing and repeated my earlier procedure of peaking out the narrow pane of glass. I had to be more careful this time. There weren't a whole lot of places for someone to hide in a stairwell; there were plenty of places for someone to hide on an entire floor space... especially one as complicated as this was. I hadn't had a real chance to memorize the floor plan or the blueprints, and I really wished I had. I listened at the door and when I was satisfied that I heard nothing, I let myself through.

I snaked and skirted and crept my way through the second floor to the stairwell that would lead to the third floor and so on until I made my way up to the fifth floor landing; all the while dealing with a growing feeling of malaise in my stomach.

There was only one more flight to go to the sixth floor where the safe with the bomb was supposed to be. I was supposed to regroup with Matt and Mello up there. We'd split up for safety reasons, but I had yet to even hear, let alone see any member of this 'skeleton staff' the brunette had told us about.

Something was seriously wrong.

I inched my way up to the fifth floor landing, listened, and was about to reach for the door handle, when I noticed something peculiar.

"A deadbolt?" I asked confused. "What kind of an idiot puts a deadbolt on the outside of a door?" It didn't make sense to have a deadbolt on the stairwell side. If you wanted to keep someone from sneaking around your building, you would put a lock on the inside.

But then, the whole entirety of the building was more than a little backward.

I couldn't worry about that right now though; I had other things to worry about. I shook the oddity from my head though and pressed my ear against the cold steel. I listened carefully and let myself onto the landing. This floor seemed darker than all the rest. Whereas the other floors had been letting moonlight in through their windows, this floor, didn't seem to have any, which didn't make sense to me. There had quite clearly been windows marking the fifth floor on the outside of the building, so why...

I crept to the closest wall and felt my way along until I found it; the reason why no light was getting in. The windows were boarded up on the inside!

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would...?" I whispered to myself, and then I saw it. Less than half a foot to my right was a tiny, glowing red dot about the size of a thumbtack. It tracked its way along the sheet of plywood over the window. It tracked its way closer to me.

"Oops, time to go," I cried as I ducked out of the way just in time. I felt it in the air above my head as a silenced round flew over me.

Suddenly the stairwell door I had just come out of was thrust open and a hulking shadow with the recognizable outline of a shotgun stood in the orange glow from the emergency lights.

I launched myself off the floor and made a mad dash for the stairwell at the far end of the building, the one that Mello should have been working his way up. I didn't want to lead them to him, but I couldn't get down my own staircase with the behemoth in the way, and I wasn't about to trap myself on the top floor.

I pulled out my Beretta and fired two quick rounds behind me without aiming.

"We've got to bounce, we've been compromised!" Matt came in over my earpiece.

"Yeah no kidding," Mello answered back.

"Where are you guys?" I asked as silenced bullets sliced past my ears.

"Fourth floor," they both came back at once. "Heading down," Matt added.

Shit.

I was trapped alone on the fifth. I just had to make it to the staircase though, and I'd be fine.

I could see the stairwell door in front of me, and I saw it fly open and another shadowed figure step in with a massive gun.

"Oh hell," I muttered casually as a barrage of semiautomatic gunfire lit up the floor.

"We got one!" I heard a raspy voice call over the ear-splitting noise. "Lock the doors and set the charge."

"Is it the one we want?"

"The other three are getting away."

The other 'three'? There were only three of us total.

"They might still be here."

"Lock the doors and set the charge," I heard again, and my blood ran cold. I really hoped that they weren't going to do what I thought they were going to do.

The gunfire stopped and I heard two doors slam close in the darkness, and then, I heard the ever recognizable sound of two dead bolts sliding into place.

I was unable to stop the miniature jet of panic that welled up inside of me.

Silence.

I waited to a count of ten in my head and then I crawled to the stairwell door and tried to open it. No dice.

'Well,' I thought to myself, 'that explains the idiot who puts deadbolts on the outside of doors.' I sighed and took a closer inspection of the door.

It was solid steel. If I tried to fire at the deadbolt to knock it out my bullets would just ricochet and cause no end of problems.

Great.

'Calm down Jewel, calm down,' I willed myself. I waited a moment in the silence and the eerie orange glow of the emergency lights for a minute with only the noise of my blood pounding in my ears to keep me company.

Then, a new sound replaced the pounding, "Jewel, come in. Where are you?"

I couldn't answer back. I was too afraid to move, I was too afraid to make a sound.

"Gem, come back! What's your status?"

"I... I think... I'm in troub-" but I didn't have time to finish. A terrible, Earth shattering blast knocked me back off my feet.

I was thrown hard against a wall and had the air knocked out of me for a good moment. My glasses had flown off my face with the force of the explosion and I patted the ground frantically looking for them.

All around me were pieces of shattered planks and concrete debris, and what's more, the room I was in was starting to fill with a thick, black smoke.

Finally my hands bumped against my frames and I quickly picked them up to inspect their damage.

My lenses had been shattered through and through to the point where they'd almost be just as useless as not having glasses at all.

A crackling came over my earpiece then. It was all static at first, but then I started to catch bits and pieces of what was being said. "...Jewel... still inside? What's... I don't... not replying... explosion... com's down..."

"Guys! Guys can you hear me?" I asked back worriedly, as dark, suffocating smoke enveloped me."

"...back inside... Jewel... hear us?"

"You keep breaking up? Can you hear me?"

Static.

It was no use. The explosion had obviously knocked out the equipment.

'Shoddy craftsmanship,' I mused angrily.

I coughed and hacked as billows of offensive black surrounded me and forced their way into my lungs... and then I saw it.

Really I should have known, where there's smoke, there's fire; but I think my subconscious was trying to protect me.

Bright orange, yellow and red flickered and danced around me, throwing shadows of death on the walls and floors.

Oh God, why?

A paralyzing fear started in my heart and flowed through my chest, arms and legs, stiffening my joints and muscles and making it all but impossible to breathe in the already smoke filled room.

"_Mommy, Daddy!" I called as the fire licked at the bottom of our closed door._

"_Get out! Get out of the house!" I could barely hear my father's call above the crackling and splintering of the wood._

_Smoke billowed in above my brother's and my heads and on the other side of the house I heard glass shatter._

"_Mommy! Daddy!" I called again, but this time received no answer. "MOM! DAD!" still no answer._

_The smoke was getting thicker in the room and the flames were working their way up the door and walls. I stole a glance at my brother; he was sitting under my window with a handful of toys in his hands. His white pyjamas and silver hair were covered in ashes and soot and I had to imagine that my hair and clothes looked the same._

_The two of us were starting to cough as I crawled over the window. I grabbed a blanket off of my bad and draped it over the two of us as I prepared to open the window. If I wasn't careful the crosscurrent that would be created by opening the window would cause an even greater flare-up of the flames._

_I slipped the window up and was grateful when the room wasn't immediately engulfed in flames. "C'mon, let's go!"_

"Jewel! Can... hear...? Get out o..."

'Move Jewel! MOVE!' I ordered myself, but I couldn't. 'You've been through this before! You survived then and you can now! Freaking move!'

Time and space froze. Fire flickered and debris fell all around me in slow motion but made no sound. I wasn't moving, and I wasn't even sure if I was breathing.

All of a sudden I felt a painful, bone breaking punch into my chest, and what was left of the untainted air in my lungs whooshed out.

"I've got her! Everybody else get out!"

The natural flow of time resumed as I was carried in a blur down flights of stairs and as my mind struggled to catch up.

* * *

><p>"Is she going to be alright?"<p>

"She's suffering from severe smoke inhalation, and she's got a couple burns and scratches, but its nothing that won't heal. We'll release her tomorrow... If she starts coming around." What the nurse said next was hushed and I am sure, not meant for me to hear even though I was the one who was living it, "She's been sitting there rigid like that for the past two hours, I don't even think I've seen her blink."

"The way she's grasping the blanket..."

"We believe its just a case of PTSD, it's common with things like fires. She should snap out of it soon... We hope."

I stayed staring at the wall, watching the nurse and Gevanni in my periphery. They shared a few more muted words and then left my room.

I was alone for only a moment before another figure filled the doorway.

Mello.

I didn't acknowledge him, and he didn't come in. We both stayed perfectly still for what seemed like hours; him watching me, and me watching the wall, waiting for it to spontaneously ignite.

Finally there was movement in the doorway.

Matt came into view. He gave me a sad, pitying look, placed his hand on Mello's shoulder and the two of them left my doorway.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> DEATH TO COMMUNAL WASHROOMS!

Sorry, I just needed to get that off my chest, LOL.

Okay guys, I think I should ask this now, instead of waiting for too many more chapters...

Do you guys want:

A happy ending?

A sad ending?

Or...

A bittersweet ending?


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** So I FINALLY got my hands on a Death Note 13! :D Sooo stoked! It's got a wealth of information in it! :D ...The only thing is: All that hard work I put into tracking the movements of all the death notes in the series, if I had just had the book, it would have made life so much easier. But yeah, I LOVE it, and if you don't have one, go get one ;P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 12, 2024. 7:48 PM... 12 Days Left...<strong>

"Now, are you sure you're alright?"

I heaved a sigh. That was the fifth time he'd asked me within seven minutes.

We were all gathered in my living room for a debriefing on the catastrophic failure that was the mission. All of us – minus Mello – were trying to figure out what had gone so wrong.

Gevanni was seated on my left on the couch and kept reaching out for my hand, but then, realising he was in the company of a whole slew of people, kept taking his hand back before it made contact with mine.

A handful of our coworkers were seated around the coffee table and Near took his usual perch in the leather armchair at the head of the group. Matt was covertly positioned in the far corner of the room; apparently he didn't really 'fit in' with the rest of us.

Mello had gone M.I.A. after he'd visited me in the hospital. According to Matt, Mello was doing some follow up research on the streets, gathering information and cross-referencing what we already had. I like to believe that Matt wouldn't lie to me, but I sensed there was a little more to it than what Matt was telling me.

"So what went wrong?" a voice asked finally, breaking the awkward silence and pitying glances I was getting from everyone.

"Bottom line?" I asked rhetorically. "They were waiting for us. They knew we were coming."

"How?" came back another voice.

"'How?' who knows how. They might have had surveillance cameras or..."

"No, that's not it," I cut in. "They were too well organized. They were expecting us well before we even got near that building. And what's more, I think they were expecting four of us, not just three."

"What makes you say that?" Gevanni asked beside me. ...I couldn't say why, but that just seemed like an odd question for him to ask.

"I heard one of the guys talking while I was trapped inside. He said 'The other three are getting away.' What other 'three'? There were only Matt and Mello in the building besides myself. Surveillance would have revealed that right away, which leads me to believe that not only were they expecting us, but they were expecting four of us."

"Maybe there was someone else in the building when you three were in there. Maybe those guys were expecting him, and not the three of you. It could all just be one big coincidence," Gevanni offered.

The logic was there. But Gevanni usually thought above that.

...I shrugged it off. We were all probably a little too shaken to be thinking at our best for the time being.

"Some other, unconnected guy infiltrating the same building as us, on the same night, at the same time? Highly unlikely," Near came back, confirming my previous assumption.

"We'll do some digging," a techie looking guy with a laptop suggested. "We'll run a scan of our computers and see if there was any hacking involved."

"And we'll run a check on our people to see if anyone was communicating with the enemy," Gevanni added.

"Alright, sounds good. If there is nothing else to be said, meeting adjourned," Near said, standing up, his silky, silvery hair bouncing with the movement.

The others followed his lead, stood up from their seats and headed towards the door.

"I'll see you all later," I called after them.

"Take care of yourself Jewel, I don't want to have to drag your limp body out of anymore burning buildings, okay?" Gevanni asked.

"Sure thing," I mumbled.

All my coworkers and Matt filed out of my apartment.

Matt shot me one last dog-eyed glance before he closed the door behind him. I really wish he'd quit doing that.

* * *

><p>I waited a moment to be sure that none of them were coming back before I set a pot of water boiling on the stove for tea and pulled my comforter and Virginia off my bed and snuggled up on my couch.<p>

The water started hissing after a moment and I poured myself a cup. I grabbed a bottle of black nail polish and my volume of Sherlock Holmes from my bookshelf. I desperately needed some 'Me' time.

I was just about sit myself down with my tea, blankets and book when I heard a knocking at my door.

"'Tis some visitor, tapping at my chamber door?" I said aloud, quoting my most favourite of poems. I'd never had the opportunity to do so before; no one I knew ever knocked around here.

I set the nail polish down on the counter and got up to answer the door.

"Mello?" I think I was more surprised that he had knocked than I was to see him.

If ever there was a word to describe his expression, in this moment it was 'dejected.' Mello looked completely depressed.

"Mello, w-what's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

Instead of a verbal reply Mello just hung his head. I stood there waiting for another moment, expecting some other kind of response, but I received none. After a second, I was pretty sure I knew what was up.

I held my alabaster hand out to him. Mello didn't react, but I didn't move either. I didn't push, I didn't coax, I didn't speak. Before too long Mello relented and took my hand in his. I walked him slowly through my apartment and sat him down on the floor in front of the couch where I had gone to sit myself just minutes before. I let his hand go and retrieved the nail polish from the counter, and then, cautiously, I lowered myself to sit in front of him.

I leaned back against Mello and felt his body stiffen at first, but then relax as he sighed. He and I were a perfect fit for each other; two pieces of a puzzle. I leaned my head against Mello's neck and just listened to him breathing for a long time. I nuzzled my nose against the soft, smooth skin of his neck and felt him sigh again.

I straightened myself up ever so gingerly and pulled my knees up close to my chest. With one hand I wrapped Mello's right hand around my waist and with the other I put Mello's left hand on top of my left knee. I took the black nail polish from beside me and went ahead, painting Mello's nails. I hadn't seen him with black nail polish in a long time. Granted, I hadn't seen Mello for a long time period, but still.

I painted each nail with the greatest care and when I was done I took Mello's hand in mine, and brought it close to my mouth. I blew gently on each nail and when I was satisfied with their dryness I placed his left hand around my waist and started on his right.

After I was finished repeating the same ritual on his right hand, Mello wordlessly took the bottle of black polish and started painting my nails. He was even more careful than I had been. The act was so relaxing it was almost hypnotic and I felt like I was slipping into a trance. Mello's deep breaths and his soft and gentle touch on my skin was other worldly and at one point I was even sure I had fallen asleep.

I was in heaven until I realised that Mello was taking an especially long time on the fourth finger of my left hand. I sighed sorrowfully to myself and broke the silence saying, "'Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.''"

"What's that?"

"Never mind," I said, but then thought out loud, "Mello, what do you suppose life would be like for us, if we'd had normal lives growing up? If we had met in another time and place? I wish we had met in another time Mello, another place. Maybe things would have worked out better for us."

I got up from my seat and headed into the kitchen to make us a pot of tea. I hear Mello get up slowly behind me and follow me in. I filled the kettle and put it on the stove to heat, and opened my top cupboard where I kept my teas.

I had many teas. I loved tea almost, or even just as much as, I loved bubblegum. I had a tea for every different mood and occasion. I had teas for illnesses like my lemon and ginger teas, I had teas for special occasions like my rose petal or jasmine teas. I had every day teas like my earl gray or my chai teas. I had mint teas, and fruit teas and spice teas. I pulled out my box of jasmine tea; it was that kind of day. The soft, intoxicating fragrance of the jasmine tea never failed to bring peace into my life when I was feeling down.

"Damnit," Mello said suddenly. His sudden outburst had me jumping, and juggling my tea box from hand to hand so as not to drop it.

"Oi!" I cried as I just barely caught the box, and placed it on the table. "What was that?" I asked him, my heart racing in my chest.

Clenching his hand, Mello took a wild swing at the open cupboard door. His fist went right through the ancient wood.

"Mello?" I said with surprise.

"I promised you I'd look out for you!" he growled angrily, lining up for another swing at something.

"Mello calm down!" I said, reaching out and catching Mello's arm before he could put his fist through any more panels. "I can't expect you to look out for me twenty-four-seven. Even if you said you would. You don't have to worry about it, it's alright. Nobody's perfect. Not me, not you, not Near, not even L was that good!"

"You still think this is about that? You still think this is about my inferiority complex?"

"Isn't it?"

"NO! It's about how I almost lost you! AGAIN! Between the two of us it's a miracle you're still alive, you know that?"

"It's not up to you to save me!"

"No, it's up to Gevanni to save you now, is it?"

"NO MELLO! It's about me being able to take care of myself! I know I've got a long way to go, and I know I'm not as strong as I need to be, but I'm working on it!"

"You need to stop trying to do everything on your own! It's like you said, nobody's perfect!"

It hurt to have my words thrown back at me like that.

"But Mello," I cried as tears formed in the corner of my eyes, "that's just it! I was raised to continually strive for perfection. It started with my parents, and continued when I got sent to Wammy's! Every day I had to be around Near I was reminded about how inadequate I was. When I was around L I was reminded about how inadequate I was. Life is always trying to show me how I can't do anything on my own, even though that's all I've ever been told I had to do. I was taught by my parents never to show emotion, I was taught by Wammy's that I always needed to use my head and come out on top. I was taught that I should never need anybody to save me!" I sat and pouted bitterly.

"Jewel," Mello said after a while.

"What?" I sniffled.

"What is it that YOU want?"

"What do you mean?"

"You just finished telling me that your life up to this point has basically been what others want from you. Well what do YOU want?"

"What do I want?" I wasn't getting what he was asking me.

"Out of life? What do you want out of life Jewel?"

"It doesn't matter what I want."

"But it DOES Jewel! It's YOUR life! You need to stop living it according to what other's want from you!"

"I don't know what I want," I snapped bitterly as more angry tears flowed down my skin.

"Yes you do Jewel! You know what you want!"

"I don't!" I cried. I stared pleadingly up at Mello, his blue eyes were livid.

Suddenly Mello reached down; he grabbed my wrist and pulled me roughly through the kitchen, and through the living room. I gasped for a second as I tried to find my footing. The momentum from Mello's pull had me stumbling toward the far wall, and almost to the window.

"There!" Mello shouted. He pointed out my second story window and down onto the street. "That girl, right there!"

There was a sporty looking brunette in a ponytail crossing the street in front of my apartment building. She was wearing sweats and carrying a gym bag; her slightly stooped posture led me to believe that she was coming from her workout instead of going to it.

"What about her?" I asked with the tears still falling.

"You're jealous of her! She's got everything you ever wanted in life! What is it? What does she have?"

"What? I don't know?"

"You hate her! Why?"

"Mello stop! This is crazy!"

"She's got everything you ever wanted! What is it! Why are you jealous?"

I couldn't stop the eruption of tears. What had been a steady stream of bitterness had become a gushing torrent of heartache and hopelessness.

"Why?" Mello pressed. "What does she have that you want?"

"She's..." I wasn't even thinking, the words were just coming out, "She's got a family..."

"Does she have the best job?"

"No," I shook my head.

"Is she the best at what she does?"

"No."

"Is she the smartest person out there?"

"No."

"Does she have the most money?"

"No!"

"Does she-"

"No! No!" I shook my head violently, "She's got a family! She's got a mom and a dad! She's got a brother and she's got a husband and a kid! She's got a family!" I wailed between sobs. "She's... She's got a normal family. She doesn't have to feel ashamed or guilty every time she breaks down and shows emotion. There's no lies, no secrets, no..." I couldn't finish. I had nothing else to say because I had said it all.

That was all I truly wanted in my life. I wanted a 'normal' family. I wanted Near and I to have been raised by loving parents who would have supported us no matter what we wanted in our lives. I wanted parents who would have seen what he and I were capable of, and still told us that happiness was the key to life, not success.

"But that would be selfish," I spoke up after a moment, realising something. I swallowed back my tears and answered Mello's questioning glance. "It works both ways," I explained. "If Near and I had been raised by normal people, if our parents hadn't died and we hadn't ended up at Wammy's, what would have happened to the world? What would be different?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I already said how I wished we had met in another time and place Mello. But the fact is, there probably wouldn't have been another 'time and place' for us. We met because I didn't have a normal family, we met because I got sent to Wammy's. And what about Kira? Kira got brought down because it was you, Matt and Near who brought him down. But what if Near and I had been raised by normal people? Near wouldn't have been a part of the equation. What if Kira wouldn't have been taken down? How many other people out there would be wishing their parents were still alive? How many people would have lost the families that they always wanted?" I wiped my hand across my face and removed the last traces of my tears. "Somebody somewhere had to make sacrifices Mello, why shouldn't it have been me?"

"Why should it have?"

I shrugged. "I may not have gotten my ideal life Mello, but it could have really been a lot worse. I know I complain a lot, and I know I don't always see what I have. And yes, I do sometimes wish my life could have been different, but I really don't think I would change anything. Everything happens for a reason."

"But-?"

"There is one thing I need to clear up though."

"What's that?"

"I need to talk to Marsh."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Oh my! So much has been happening lately! Do you guys think its been going too fast? Too slow? Just right? And I'm sorry for having my characters get so OOC all the time, especially Jewel... But then, I think her 'contradictory-ness' IS a part of her character. This whole story I've been trying to write her as her described ideal, but I keep losing out to the emotional side when I write parts for her, and I dunno, I just think it fits and goes with her personality. Yeah?

Also, there's a rumour that Mello's nails weren't ever actually painted in the series ...I think we can all agree that Mello would look freaking HAWT with painted nails though ;P

ALSO, I think my traffic counter is broken :S It's showing no hits for Sunday at all, and no hits for my last chapter, even though there are even reviews on it already :/ It's weird.

Oh well, have a good night guys :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** GUYS! 1. I am so sorry for disappearing! I've got soo many finals and junk going on right now. In fact, I should be studying right now, but I'm getting this chapter up just for you guys ^_^

2. I need new music! Any ideas? Any bands/songs? Anything? I've been listening to the same music for like, years now! I'll find new bands/songs and they'll stick for a bit, but there hasn't been anything like, uber exciting recently.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 12, 2024. 11:48 PM... 12 Days Left...<strong>

"_Somebody somewhere had to make sacrifices Mello, why shouldn't it have been me?"_

"_Why should it have?"_

_I shrugged. "I may not have gotten my ideal life Mello, but it could have really been a lot worse. I know I complain a lot, and I know I don't always see what I have. And yes, I do sometimes wish my life could have been different, but I really don't think I would change anything. Everything happens for a reason."_

"_But-?"_

"_There is one thing I need to clear up though."_

"_What's that?"_

"_I need to talk to Marsh."_

"You need to talk to Marsh?"

"I was forced into this life Mello, and whether or not I'm okay with it, whether or not I resent it, I shouldn't do the same thing to her."

"But-"

"It was the obvious choice you know, sending her to Wammy's. I mean, look at who her family is right? But what if that isn't what she wanted?"

"She was just a kid Jewel. Parents make choices for their kids all the time when they're little. Did you pick what school you wanted to go to before your parents died? Did any kid anywhere pick which school they wanted to go to?"

"No, but most parents send their kids to regular schools, the ones that are all the same anyway."

"'Kay, but she still is just a kid."

I laughed deeply and ironically at the idea. My Marsh, still a kid? "She may still be small Mello, but it's been a long time since she's been a 'kid.' And I think that's what I'm going to try to fix right now. Will you drive me?"

The drive to Near's headquarters was a quiet one. Neither of us spoke and then, without the audio stimuli, I found my thoughts wandering. I was unable to stop myself from getting trapped in the dead-end argument of whether or not Mello was going to stay with me this time. I was unable to stop myself from silently asking if I could handle it. I was unable to stop my thoughts from going back to Gevanni.

I had been graciously informed that it was Gevanni who had gallantly rescued me from my hellish grave the other day. He had sprung into action the second the explosion had happened and was in the building and up the stairs before Mello and Matt even got out. Talk about being on your toes. I didn't think he could have been more efficient if he had been expecting it. Gevanni had risked his life to save mine, and it wasn't the first time. In the past eleven years Gevanni had always been there, by my side, ready to help me get through whatever came my way. It was Gevanni's shoulder I had cried on when Mello had left.

* * *

><p>Mello dropped me off at the front entrance and told me he'd be around later, told me he had some stuff to work on, some leads to run down. I just shrugged a response and went inside.<p>

Up in Near's office I found Near, Marsh, Gevanni and a handful of other subordinates looking over stacks of papers and computer screens. Insomniacs; we were all a bunch of obsessive insomniacs.

"Jewel?"

"Morning guys," because technically, it was, I noticed as I checked my watch.

"Something we can help you with?" Near asked casually. I just shook my head, but gestured with my finger that I wanted Marsh to come with me.

My little chibi slid off of her chair and skirted around the large wooden table to meet me in the doorway. She stared up earnestly at me for a second with her big blue eyes; her azure eyes with flecks of sapphire and silver, two sparkling gems in the middle of her China-doll face.

I nodded my head out the door and she followed my wordless instructions without a second thought.

"My office kid," I told her as we worked our way through the hallway.

She led the way, and when we got into my own personal space I took the seat at the desk and spun in my chair to face her. She had a serious and apprehensive look on her face and for a second I couldn't think to phrase what I wanted to say. To give myself time to find my words I took in my surroundings.

I had never before really considered how boring and plain my office was. The walls, the floors, the file cabinets, cupboards and even my desktop computer were all just varying shades of gray. There was no colour, no life in the space whatsoever. I think I had avoided adding any personal touches on purpose. We moved around so often, it was rather pointless to try and make any one space any more special than the last or the next. I gave a small sigh at the emptiness though, and the fact that I didn't even have any pictures up. If you went to any other office in this city that didn't belong to Near or the organization, there were photos on the desks. There were pictures of family and friends. Not here. We couldn't take pictures around here. It was too risky.

"M-mommy?"

I turned back to my little cherub, my resolve hardening. "How do you feel about what we do here Marsh? Do you like it?"

"Yes?" she said, unsure of what I was getting at.

"Hun, is this, something you want to do? I mean really? Do you want to be up still midnight every night going over papers, and printouts? Don't you want to have friends and go out and play?"

She tilted her head like a confused puppy. "I, I'm not sure, I know what you mean."

"From day one I just kind of, forced you into this situation. I made you go to Wammy's, I move you around all the time so that you don't have time to make friends. Because of the dangers we face I basically keep you under lock and key all the time. I mean, don't you want freedom and friends and..." The more I spoke, the harder it was to convince myself that I had done the right thing in the beginning. I had taken this little girl's childhood away from her.

Marsh seemed to think over what I was saying for a moment and then she smiled. "Oh I get it," she said as her eyes took on that ever familiar sparkle. "I think, I think I like what we do. I like helping you and uncle Near. You do really important things; you help a lot of people right? I want to help people too."

Altruism in its purest form.

I shook my head and chuckled. She was crazy this one. Cute; but crazy.

"Was that, was that all you wanted?"

"Heh, yeah I guess," I chuckled again. "Why?"

"For a second I thought I was in trouble."

"Trouble? Why would you be in trouble?"

The sudden fear in her eyes betrayed her.

"Marsh?"

She bit her lip and cast her eyes downward.

"Marsh, is something wrong? you can tell me you know. I won't be mad."

"It's not that," she muttered softly.

"Hun, what's wrong? Are you alright?" I asked, sliding down off my chair and kneeling down to her height, attempting to lift her face up to mine. "You can tell me Marsh, it'll be okay. What's going on?"

My little princess started to raise her head slowly and meet my eyes. Her tiny heart shaped mouth opened for a moment and it looked as though she was going to tell all when...

"Oh Marsh, Jewel, found you guys," Gevanni interrupted, his frame filling my doorway.

"Uh hey. What's up?"

"Actually, I was going to head home, and I figured since it's getting late, and you might be here for a while, that I might just take Marsh home too while I'm at it."

"Near usually takes her home."

"Yeah, but like I said, I was on my way already, and he's going to be here for a while yet, so..."

"Alright. Well do you want to give us a minute? We were in the middle of something."

"Oh, uh well-"

"It's okay mommy. I'll just go. I'm pretty tired."

I met her eyes and wasn't convinced. "Are you sure hun? In fact, I could even take you back in a bit if you want."

"No it's okay. I'm going to say goodnight to uncle Near." She smiled widely, gave me a hug around my neck and in a flash was out the door past Gevanni.

"What was all that about?" he asked me when she was down the hall and out of ear shot.

"You know, I'm just not sure," I said, standing up from my kneeling position on the floor. "I have a very strong feeling that there's something that she's not telling me," I clarified as I bit my lip and dug around in my pockets for a stick of bubblegum.

"Oh I'm sure she's alright. But what about you? Are you okay?" Gevanni asked more seriously, coming over to me.

"Me? I'm alright. Why shouldn't I be?"

"You've had more than a little going on this month. It's been super crazy around here lately. And you almost just got blown up!"

I chucked, "Yeah Gevanni, I'm okay. This is all going to be over soon, one way or another. I'll be fine."

Gevanni closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me. For a second I couldn't breathe. For a second I lost complete control.

Silent tears were streaming down my skin before I even realised they were there. I returned Gevanni's action and threaded my arms around his waist and buried my face into his chest. He was right, this was all so ridiculous. How many things could happen to one person in such a short amount of time? It was absolutely obscene!

I sighed into his chest to release the pressure on my life, and sighed again as Gevanni's heartbeat matched mine. I just stood there for what seemed like forever. I let him hold me because that's what I needed. I needed to know that I wasn't in this alone. I needed to know that someone had my back, and that someone was Gevanni.

I was at such peace for that brief moment that I almost began to fall asleep; almost until I remembered something. "Oi!" I pulled away from Gevanni's embrace and started digging around in my desk.

"What are you going?"

"Wha-? What happened to my glasses?"

"Those ones you kept in your drawer?"

"Yeah. I need them to replace the ones I took from my house."

"Don't you remember? You had to use those last month after that hopped up druggie took a swing at you."

"Ohh yeahh! I almost forgot about him. What ever happened to that guy?"

"He's detoxing in some rehab facility in California."

I sighed with disappointment, "That'll never work."

"Detox is usually-"

"No, I don't mean the detox itself, I mean sending him to Cali for it."

"Why not?"

"Classical conditioning."

"What?"

"The principles of classical conditioning. Long story short, you've pulled him out of his 'drug zone.' You send him to Cali and he won't use drugs in California because he's never used drugs in California. But as soon as he gets back here, the familiar surroundings in which he used to do drugs will come back to him and his habituation for... It's all in my old notebooks. Here, I'll show you." I stood up from my chair and stretched to open the leftmost cupboard over my desk.

"No, no, it's fine. I believe you. I've got to get going anyway, Marsh is probably waiting. Have a good night love," Gevanni didn't wait for me to haul down my old, musty box of notebooks before he left my office.

I placed the heavy box, with a bit of a bump, on top of my desk, and lifted off the dust covered lid, being especially careful not to upset the miniscule particles and send them dancing into the air. I sighed whimsically at the contents. Mello had asked me what I wanted from life. I wanted to finish my schooling, I wanted to become a psychologist, a real one.

In reality I kind of already was. Our job was to, bottom line, get into criminal's heads. I already had more experience and more knowledge than most people with PhD's... but I didn't have that PhD. Whether or not I knew the material, whether or not I was already quite successful at what I did, I still didn't have that degree. I couldn't introduce myself as 'Dr.' I couldn't open a professional practice of my own.

I sighed again and pulled out the first notebook and flipped it open to a random page.

I was really starting to wonder if the world was just trying to play games with my head.

The page I had opened to was from my months of studying social psychology; and the particular topic of that page? Attraction. Attraction and relationships. I knit my brows together and frowned with annoyance. The first two points on the page were based on the two different types of relationships, Passionate and Companionate. I slammed the pages together before I could read them and went off to say my goodbyes and goodnights to whoever was left in this psych ward.

* * *

><p>"You're still here?" were the first words out of my mouth when I strolled back into Near's office. Marsh was asleep with her head on the table and Gevanni was talking quietly with Near.<p>

"Yeah, Near just had one or two more things to talk to me about before I left."

"Oh yeah... Oh look, Chinese," I smiled as I noticed a handful of new take-out containers sitting on top of the table in front of Near. I flipped open the lid on one of them to check its contents. "Spring Rolls, my favourite."

"Your favourite? We had those brought in for Near. He was going to be here for a while so we set him up with dinner," Gevanni muttered as I fished one of the rolls out of the container and bit off half of it.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "Near doesn't like Spring Rolls."

"Actually," Near cut in, "I had a feeling you'd be a little hungry tonight. I had them order that for you. You can take that and the stir-fry and rice if you want."

"Seriously? Hey thanks," I said as I popped the remainder of the roll onto my mouth and took the handles on the take out.

"But what are you going to eat Near?" Gevanni asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "And you shouldn't eat this late if you're going to go right to bed Jewel. It messes with the digestion."

I arched my eyebrow again, "Since when have you been so concerned with my diet?" I asked suspiciously, pinching out another Spring Roll from the box.

"Well since... since you've... since you've been putting on weight."

I started choking on the carrots, cabbage and peppers before I could swallow. "I'm sorry? What was that?" my lips twisted into a pucker as I bowed my head to check my figure. I hadn't been gaining weight! I couldn't have been! It wasn't denial, it was a fact. I was always working out, and I kept a special check on my diet. It just didn't make sense.

"Jewel, I'm sorry, it's just-"

"No no, it's okay." I put the container with the remaining Spring Rolls, and the container with the rice back on the table and let myself with only the stir-fry. Surely that couldn't kill me, it was just vegetables. "Near, if you're staying here tonight, I'm taking your car. I'm tired," I called over my shoulder.

"For the love of all that is wholly, you're going to drive too instead of walking?"

I pretended to not be mortified at that comment and grabbed the keys from the hook on the way out. Gevanni was going to hear about it when I was in more of a mood to talk civilly and not in a mood to tear his head off for his comments.

I was starting to think that I wasn't the only one being affected by the pressures of the previous month.

* * *

><p>I stomped over to the elevator and punched the button for the underground lot a little too roughly. I waited impatiently as the elevator pinged with every floor it came to and passed. Finally the doors opened up to the dark, gray lot; Nears shiny black Mercedes was parked in the far corner. I'd have it back in the morning before he even knew it was gone.<p>

I clicked the lock button on the key ring and the car bleeped and the lights flashed as I approached. I slid into the driver's seat and started the car. I was speeding down the street in less than thirty seconds.

I loved fast cars. Fast cars gave me excitement in my life without the immediate threat of death. I mean sure, if I wasn't careful, a bone crushing, skull shattering impact was imminent, but there were no guns blazing, no bombs, no...

No brakes.

I pressed down lightly on the brake pedal but my foot went all the way to the floor. There was no resistance, the hydraulics weren't functioning.

There were some days when I really hated my life.

I didn't hate it enough to not fight for it though.

Luckily for me I didn't have to fight too hard. I was on a straight stretch and only ran one red light before I came to a stop on the side of the road. I was lucky I was on my way to my house and not on my way to someone else's place. If I had been on my way to Near's I would have been in slightly more trouble. He lived at the bottom of a hill.

I flipped on the warning lights on the dashboard, dug around in the glove box for a flashlight and let myself out of car, popping the hood as I closed the door behind me. It took me less than a minute to find what I was looking for; granted, I knew where to look. Cut brake lines.

I dropped the flashlight onto the hood of the car; slammed my left hand into my left pocket and came out with a pack of gum, slammed my right hand into my right pocket and came out with my cell phone. I flipped the device open and hit number two on the speed-dial. Number two only because the number one was preprogrammed for my voicemail.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I need a ride."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Whew! There's a lot going on in this chapter eh? What does it all mean! D:

So, threw in that little cutsie moment with Gevanni and Jewel as per a special request ...The not to cutsie moment between them was a necessity and I'm sorry, lol ^_^ Hope y'all liked this chapter :)

Also, I've got a poll for you guys ;P

Who's your favourite Wammy's Boy?

Mello

Matt

Near

Beyond

L


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Ever notice when I have homework due, I get chapters up faster? That's basically how it works, if you guys ever get two or more chapters up really quickly, it's usually because I'm avoiding my work ha-ha... ha... I am so screwed for my finals V.V ...Someone teach me French and Statistical Data Analysis! QUICK!

Why! Why do Etre, and Avoir, two of the most commonly used verbs have to be conjugated so irregularly? I miss taking Russian. Russian was a piece of cake compared to this... Please know that I'm not dissing French, I'm just having a hell of a time trying to learn it... And I'm Canadian, who would have figured I'd have trouble with French.

And oh, oh! If you feel like it, and don't hate Nickelback more than anything, be sure and listen to 'Don't Ever Let It End' by them during the 'Star Scene' ;D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 13, 2024. 2:24 AM... 11 Days Left...<strong>

"So, tell me again what happened."

"Car, no brakes, pulled over, cut line."

"Yeahhh..."

"Thanks for coming to pick me up," I mused after a silent pause.

"Heh, yeah. Next time I'm just going to leave you stranded on the side of the street."

"I was a block away from my apartment, I wasn't really stranded."

"Not in a literal sense I imagine."

He really had me pegged.

Mello and I had been driving around the back roads of the city for a couple hours now. I wasn't in the mood to go home and spend the rest of the night alone. I had my knees up on the dashboard and the window down. I had let my hair down and my silky silver locks were whipping around my face in the wind. The night air was soft and cool and the sky was clear.

"Mello?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you drive somewhere? Somewhere that we can see the stars?" The city lights were far too bright to be able to make out any of the shimmering diamonds that lit up the night sky.

Without another word Mello took a handful of quick turns and had us on our way out of the city. Once again I found myself worrying about where the two of us were going to end up after this bomb case finally came to a close. Right now it was the only thing keeping us together. This one common objective had started it all. When the bomb was found and we could all just go back to our regular lives, would we?

"We're here," Mello said suddenly.

I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't noticed the city lights and tall skyscrapers had given way to trees and meadows.

"Shall we?" Mello asked, staring at me from across the driver's side. I smiled at him and swung the car door open.

Mello walked around the front of his car and took my hand. Together we walked up a small knoll and laid down under a tall maple tree. I settled in along the ground and let the tall tangle of grass tickle the side of my face and the light breeze twist and turn and blend my hair with the flowers. Way above us in the sky twinkling balls of white fire blinked and fluttered in their ebony canvas.

"It's so beautiful."

"Yeah, you are."

I felt my heart flutter with the stars and my breath rush out with the wind. Mello's words never ceased to make me feel like I could fly. I snuggled into his side and matched my breathing with his.

"How many do you think there are?"

"How's that?"

"Stars. How many stars do you think there are? They're like, diamonds. They're like precious jewels the way they sparkle like that."

"You're the only precious jewel I know of."

I couldn't stop the warm blush from spreading over the crests of my cheeks.

I wanted to ask him. I wanted to know what his plans were, I wanted to know what he was going to do when this whole crazy situation was over with. I wanted to know if he wanted to marry me. He had back then, back when our lives had been drawn together by the twisted web of Kira, but what about now? Obviously something had changed.

I had promised him though. I had promised Mello that until the wedding, until the 24th, there would be no more talk about our relationship. It was an interesting compromise I had come up with for myself though. We weren't talking about it, not really, but we were right smack dab in the middle of it anyway.

An involuntary shiver passed though my body.

"Cold?"

With my free hand I reached up and felt the tip of my nose. "Looks like it," I smiled, pulling my finger away from my miniature iceberg of a nose.

Beside me I felt Mello shuffling around and a moment later I felt his leather coat land on top of me.

So warm.

It was like when you take fresh laundry out of the dryer and just lay in it, it was like when you're sitting around a campfire on a cool autumn night. It was like lying on warm beach sand with a cool breeze in your hair, it was like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold winter night... It was perfect.

I looked up and met Mello's eyes. I was absolutely lost in them until I happened to notice Mello's exposed arms. I bit my lip and traced a line down Mello's cream coloured skin. I bit my lip harder when I reached Mello's hand.

Mello threaded his fingers in and around mine but then stopped suddenly when his hand brushed against a small, golden object on the fourth finger of my left hand.

Not again.

Mello sighed dejectedly, and paused for a moment before saying, "I guess we should get going. It's getting late."

The joke was on him. It was 'late' over an hour ago, now it was getting 'early.'

I echoed Mello's dejected sigh and let him help me up off the grass. I knit my brows together and pursed my lips as Mello walked me to his car. We got in and drove off wordlessly.

Not cool.

* * *

><p>I still wasn't ready to go home though. Besides, who knows what other mindless booby-trap could be waiting for me. Cut brake lines might have only been the beginning. Next time it might be another bomb, it might be another horde of behemoths with Uzis, it might be...<p>

"Oh my- pull over!"

"What?"

"Pull over!" I demanded.

Before Mello could even stop his car I had the door thrown open and my seatbelt off. I was half in the car, half falling out of it, but one hundred percent of me was expelling the contents of my stomach a half a second later on the ground in front of my face.

"Jewel, are you alright?" Mello shouted out the passenger side door that I hadn't bothered to close. Without waiting for a reply he pulled up ahead of me and pulled off the road. He was by my side in an instant and holding my hair and shoulders back as I heaved and dry heaved.

"Jewel...?"

"Mello," I moaned as I grasped my stomach. There was a sharp, shooting pain spreading from my waist throughout my body. Up to my chest, down my legs, around my arms and up to my neck and head, giving me such a bad headache it felt like my head was going to explode.

"You're coughing up blood! I'm taking you to a hospital!" Mello took me in his arms around my back and knees and put me carefully back into his car.

I tossed and moaned and curled myself into the fetal position in a futile attempt to quell the stabbing pain as the world turned sideways and upside down inside my head. I latched my hands, white knuckled, onto the seat in a vain effort to stop the world from spinning as a scorching red, burning sensation worked its way up my throat and into my mouth. I felt a warm, crimson liquid pool in the side of my mouth. My hands, and feet, arms and legs were the next parts of my body to be set on fire, and the rest of my body went numb.

"Jewel," Mello asked sternly, "what happened?" But I couldn't answer him. I could barely make myself keep breathing let alone find enough air to talk. "Hold on!"

* * *

><p>Somewhere along the line I must have passed out because of the pain, because when I opened my eyes next, a glaring white light was searing its way into my eyes and an infernal bleeping was assaulting my ears. I was also vaguely aware of being in motion. More of a motion than was responsible for the spinning earth inside my brain.<p>

"Is she going to be okay? What's going on?" I heard above the bleeps.

"She's been poisoned as near as we can tell. She's got all the telltale signs of arsenic poisoning."

"ARSENIC POISONING!"

"Has she eaten anything recently?"

"She had take-out a couple hours ago."

"A couple hours ago? Then it's too late to stomach pump, we'll have to get a chelating agent into her system."

"Hey wait a minute!"

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't come through here. We'll let you know if there are any developments. I'm sure there's some paper work you can fill out at the front desk."

"But-"

I was out of it again before Mello got the rest of his sentence out.

* * *

><p>When I came to again my pain had stopped, but the incessant bleeping hadn't. "What's going on?" I asked scratchily, my throat was so dry.<p>

"Hey she's awake!" a mop of shaggy red hair filled my field of view. "We were afraid we were really gonna lose you this time kid."

"Jewel? Jewel are you okay?"

"Mello?"

"No, it's Kurt Cobain, of course it's me."

"What-what happened?"

"Apparently you were poisoned kid."

"I think I got that much. How?"

"I'm betting that Chinese you had earlier."

"But, why would someone try to poison me? Where's Near? We should tell him about this."

"Uhm actually," Mello and Matt shared a look. "We were talking; we don't think it's such a good idea to tell anyone what happened."

"What? Why not?"

"Jewel, the car, the food, it all came from inside of your team's headquarters. It's someone on the inside working to take you down."

"But, but that doesn't make sense. Who would do such a thing?"

"I dunno kid," Matt chimed in, "but doesn't it make sense? And what about the explosion? The one that only you were caught in."

"Yeah but, but they wanted to get someone else on that one. They weren't after me, it was someone else they were after."

"OR they were just expecting a fourth person to be there and they really were after you."

It was starting to make sense, but I didn't want it to. There was still one nagging, obvious question though. "But, but why me?"

"Think Jewel, is there anyone out there who would have a personal vendetta against you? Someone you've dealt with in the past? Or are you working on any side cases right now? Were you a witness to something and someone is trying to take you down so that you can't testify?"

"What? That's all so ridiculous. And there aren't any side cases. We've been focusing all our man power on this one case for the past, forever."

"Well maybe that's it! Maybe there's someone on the inside who's personally invested in this case and doesn't want to see it completed."

"But who would do that? Everyone on our team is handpicked. They're all loyal," I insisted, growing more and more unsure of myself by the moment.

"That doesn't change the facts Jewel. I don't think I can allow you to go back there until we solve all this."

"That's ridiculous. If it IS someone on the inside, the only way we CAN solve all of this is by going back there. We'll tell Near and Gevanni at least and have them run a check of all the people we employ."

"I don't think so! Those two are the ones that I don't trust the most."

"You only don't trust them because..."

"Don't finish that sentence," Mello warned, a cold and serious expression suddenly dawning on his face.

"What is all the ruckus going on in here?" a lady sporting scrubs said out of the blue, waltzing into the room.

"You're awake dear, how are you feeling?"

I hadn't really thought about it until now. "Super tired I guess, maybe a little sore around the edges."

"We gave you a super dose of morphine to help with the pain. We calculated from the time you ingested the poison to the time it took you to start coming down with the symptoms of the poison that you couldn't have ingested too much of it. And lucky for you. Arsenic isn't something to mess with you know. We were going to call the police to make a full report of it, but your blond friend here assured us that your organization would take care of it. I'm not too pleased with that, but I won't argue. Anyway listen, because you didn't ingest a terribly fatal amount, and because your friend got you here so quickly, your recovery should run smoothly. You might have some lasting nerve damage, but otherwise you should be okay. We'd like to keep you here for observation for another couple of hours before we release you. And then please understand that if you have any reoccurring symptoms to come in immediately."

"Yes ma'am," I replied, almost feeling the need to salute.

"Good. Now then, the two of you!" the nurse said gesturing to Mello and Matt, "Out, out, out! This poor girl needs her rest!"

"Yes ma'am," Matt echoed and followed with the salute. Mello just grunted and the two of them were ushered out by my own personal supervisor. Mello shot one more glance over his shoulder at me before he was lost from view.

* * *

><p>When I was finally released from my prison... I mean hospital room, Mello, (against his better judgement,) drove me straight back to our organization's headquarters.<p>

I marched, less forcefully as I might have been able to if I was running at a hundred percent, over to the elevator, with Matt and Mello at my side and hit the button for Near's floor. The elevator pinged all the way up and finally the doors slid open with a groan and I continued my march into Near's office.

He was perched at his desk the same way he had been when I had left the night before. Seeing him like that made me curious enough for the first time that day to check my watch. It was already nine in the evening. The number of days I was missing to sleep was getting absolutely insane. If I had had a normal job I would have been fired for sure by now for missing so much work these past two weeks ...Granted if I had had a normal job, I probably wouldn't have had so many, work related mishaps and wouldn't have had to miss so much work these past two weeks. But of course this was MY life we were talking about, and something told me I would be missing work due to general mayhem whether I was sales clerk at a retail store or a mathematician at NASA. I smiled sardonically at the thought.

Near and Gevanni, (who had probably had the chance to go home and sleep, and then still have time to report early in the morning for work,) shot me an awkward glance as I marched into the office.

"Alright, we're going to get to the bottom of this, and we are going to get to the bottom of this right now! Never, have I ever, had so many attempts on my life before! What's going on around here? Why is everyone trying to kill me? The explosion, the food poisoning, the car! Why is everyone after me? I don't get it!"

I felt Mello and Matt take up positions of support behind me. All of a sudden, an out of breath co-worker of ours burst into the main room behind us, almost bumping into Matt and Mello, and almost threatening a domino effect as we all rocked on our heels to keep our balance in the whirlwind. All heads turned to him as he struggled to get enough air to make his words into sentences.

"We-we found it!" he shouted.

Silence around the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> LOL, Jewel's sure been spending a lot of time in the hospital eh? I didn't even plan for that to happen, it just keeps... happening ha-ha. Also, something that's been bothering me. Anyone notice that for, a top level Jounin and an ex ANBU Black Ops member, Kakashi Hatake ALSO spends an unwarranted amount of time in the hospitals under the care of medical ninja? Ha-ha ^_^

WOW Mello really went OOC on that star scene eh? I'm sorry I just couldn't help it ha-ha. but I think I'd like to justify it by saying that Jewel really brings out the best in him... When they aren't fighting ;P

BUT OMG THEY FOUND THE BOMB SAY WHAT!

So tell me guys, how are all your days going?


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note:** I GOT MY HANDS ON DEATH NOTE: ANOTHER NOTE! WHOO! ;D Stoked on life ha-ha. And it's so fitting too because it is (WAS, now that I've finally gotten around to uploading this chapter) Friday the 13th ;P ;P ...Looks like we all survived another one eh ;)

So... I calculated it, and I really only need 65% on my French final to get a good grade in the course. Someone wish me luck... I'm really going to need it. My friend Jon broke his shoelace before the test. That's a bad omen. At least we didn't have to write it on the 13th LOL.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 14, 2024. 9:14 PM... 10 Days Left...<strong>

_All of a sudden, an out of breath co-worker of mine burst into the main room behind us. All heads turned as he struggled to get enough air to make words._

"_We-we found it!" he shouted._

Silence around the room.

"The-the bomb! It's-" he heaved a huge breath and continued, "it's here!" he slammed the laptop he was carrying onto the table and flipped it open.

On the screen was a political map of the city, drawn up in bright green LED lines set on a back background. Right in the middle of the squiggly shapes and lines was a pulsing red dot.

"That's it?" I asked incredulous, completely forgetting my earlier problems. "How did you find it?"

"We got a tip that-"

"Oh wait! Now hold on a second. Do you all remember what happened the last time we got a 'tip' about this darn thing?"

"This time we've been able to personally verify that it is the device that we're looking for."

"Oh yeah? And how'd you manage that?" Mello asked skeptically.

"We've been watching this one particular gang for some time now. We sent one of our men in under cover. He got these photographs." The guy with the laptop and the outlandish claim tapped a few keys and the LED map was replaced with screen shots of a black briefcase.

"That could be any briefcase," Mello pressed. "Who says it's got our bomb in it, let alone a bomb period?"

The laptop guy hit another sequence of keys and the next pictures that popped up were ones taken of the inside of the briefcase. The images showed brightly coloured wires, a timing device and a trigger relay system to a pack of explosives.

Mello and Matt shared a cautious but knowing glance. This was our bomb.

"Alright what's the plan then?" Mello asked after a moment.

"That's the thing," our laptop friend responded. "We don't need a plan. This guy, our man on the inside is going to hand us over the bomb. We just have to make it look legitimate. We need a team of FBI grunts and a handful of cops to go down there and bust the place up. Our guy is in charge of guarding the briefcase, so, so long as we can get in and out in a hurry, before anyone else has a chance to arm the device while we're breaking in, we should all be just fine.

"That's a pretty sketchy 'so long as,'" Mello said flatly.

"No one said you had to be a part of the recovery team," our laptop guy said, shutting the top of his computer.

That's all it took. One question of Mello's courage and he, and Matt, were on board with the plan. I, at this point, was ready to face just about anything.

* * *

><p>The scariest thing wasn't going in after the bomb. It was when the plan went exactly as expected. We had a team of FBI agents, all dressed in their Kevlar vests and helmets; we had local police and of course there was Mello, Matt and I present as well.<p>

All of rushed, guns blazing, in to an old, rundown, concrete building on the outskirts of the city. It reminded me a lot of Mello's old mafia base. From its dilapidated and crumbling exterior to the general mess and stench of the inner sanctum... Its occupants were quite reminiscent for me as well. Hulking behemoths with automatic weapons and shotguns.

It was one of the tamest gun battles I'd ever been involved in. The few that didn't immediately surrender the moment we busted the door down took shots to the arms and legs and didn't put up too much of a fight after that. Our supposed informant handed over the briefcase the second we had him cornered and we had Mello and Matt do an eyeball ID on it to make sure that it was definitely the one we'd been looking for this whole time.

The whole affair lasted no more than twenty minutes from the breaking down of the door till the last suspect being driven away by the cops in handcuffs.

I watched suspiciously as the last of the wounded were loaded into waiting ambulances and driven away.

That was easy... too easy.

"Okay everyone, gather around," Gevanni called over my thoughts. The lot of us, the police, the FBI, Mello, Matt, Near and I, we all formed up in a circle around Gevanni. "Alright, is everyone present and accounted for? No one bleeding profusely?"

"No one that hasn't already been sent away in an ambulance," I muttered.

There was a short pause while Gevanni looked over us. "Okay then," he pulled out a clipboard. "I have Mello and Near transporting the bomb back to HQ. I have-"

"Mello and Near? Are you insane?" I cut in. "Are you trying to get the world blown up? You know as well as I do that that's a horrible idea. I'LL ride with Mello and bring the bomb back," I said slipping the briefcase out of Gevanni's hands.

"And if he decides to sweet talk you into giving him the bomb and letting him go?"

"Hey!" Mello shouted in protest. I pursed my lips, unimpressed.

"You should at least go with Matt and the bomb and let someone else go with Mello."

"I don't think she should go with the bomb at all! That thing is very temperamental. What if something triggers it?" Matt added.

"Did you build it that shoddily?"

"Not but-"

"Why don't we have one of our men go with Matt and the bomb?" one of the red-shirts asked.

"NO!" Three voices, including mine, shouted at once.

"Why not!" Matt whined with feigned insult.

"Because I don't trust you with any of their men! If they wanted to take the bomb from you, you would just let them!"

"That's cold Mello, that's cold!"

"And I'm not letting the bomb out of my sight again until I know it's been properly disposed of," I added. "I've had enough of chasing this thing around the whole damn city. Getting shot at and blown up for it. I don't think so, not again thank you very much."

"So what's the plan?"

"I'm taking the bomb with Mello."

"NO!" Mello and Gevanni shouted.

"Mello is going with Near," Gevanni tried again. We all just stared blankly at him.

"Alright that's it!" I shouted. This little game of duck, duck goose, was beginning to annoy me. "Matt is going with Near and Gevanni in Matt's car. All of them," I said gesturing to our assistants, "can go with each other." I reached over and pulled a set of handcuffs out of one of the pockets of the nearest policeman. I clipped one end to the handle of the briefcase and the other end to my wrist. "This bomb is going with me. And if for no other reason than to prove my competence, I'm going with Mello in his car. Everyone got that?"

There was a very brief silence before a half a dozen voices erupted at once in protest.

"She should go with Matt and another one of our men!"

"What, does she need a baby sitter?"

"Why doesn't anyone want to drive with me?"

"She should go with Near and you Gevanni and Matt and Mello can just go together."

"No!" a course of angry votes rose above the disgruntled crowd.

"Why are you so set on having Mello and Near go together?"

"Well one of us needs to go with her! We can't let that thing out of our sights either. It's our responsibility too!"

"Hey, I found the damn thing; I should be the one to transport it."

"Well okay, you can shut up now."

She's not going with Mello!"

"So what? You don't trust me?" Mello and I both charged at Gevanni.

"Let's put Mello and Gevanni together and see how they like it!"

"I'll go with Gevanni, Jewel go with Matt, Mello can go with one of our men."

"There's no way in hell I'm travelling with any one of those half wits!"

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!"

* * *

><p>Twelve minutes, two bars of chocolate and three sticks of bubblegum later my original plan had finally, albeit grudgingly, been agreed upon. I was taking the bomb with Mello; Matt, Gevanni and Near were all travelling together, and the 'half wits' got to leave it up to themselves which of each other they wanted to travel with.<p>

I stormed over to Mello's car and was about to get in when I noticed that Gevanni was giving Mello a hard time for something across the lot. Mello wasn't taking it too kindly based on the look on his face, and I must say I wasn't too pleased with it myself. Those two really needed to learn to get along. What was this preschool?

"What the heck was that all about?" Mello asked me when he finally came over.

I slid into the passenger seat of his car, and came back with, "I could ask you the same thing. What was Gevanni yelling at you about?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it."

"Mello!"

"What was all that kafuffle earlier about anyway? Who cares who drives with whom?"

"What are you asking me for? You were arguing just as much as anybody else was. I love how you didn't want to drive with me by the way."

"It's not like that."

"Isn't it?"

"Something's more than a little off Jewel, can't you see that?" Mello asked me as we pulled away from the curb and started making our way back to headquarters were we had a bomb disposal unit standing by.

"Well whatever. I don't think we have to worry about it anymore. We've got the bomb," I patted the side of the briefcase, "it's going to be disarmed and disposed of. It's all going to work out now."

"If you say-"

Mello couldn't finish his sentence. In that moment we were rocked violently to the side by a huge, black Hummer with tinted windows and twenty-two inch wheels.

"Ah, Mello!" I whined as I was forced hard against my seatbelt. Mello checked his mirrors and narrowed his eyes like I'd seen him do far too many times. It was his menacing look; it was his hott menacing look.

Mello looked over at me for a second, but his eyes locked on to something outside the passenger window. "Jewel! Get down!" Before I could react, Mello's hand forced my head down into the seat. I heard the crack of glass and felt the whiz of a silenced bullet and glass where my head had just been.

"They've got to be after the bomb! What did you guys make this thing out of? Gold? Is there a reason everyone is after it?"

Mello wrenched hard on the steering wheel and we jerked left. On Mello's side now was a huge black GMC truck. Its passenger was lining up a shotgun barrel, level with my head.

"Mello watch out!" I cried and, hammering myself under the dashboard, kicked my seat back to give myself more room to maneuver.

The shotgun blast was deafening inside the car, and the scariest thing wasn't even the noise. The scariest thing was the two inch hole that had been blown through my passenger side door.

"If he hits the bomb with a bullet we're all dead!" Mello called to me over the rush of the wind that was circulating through the broken out windows and the holes in the car frame.

"You worry about the car, I'll worry about the bomb!" I called back as we were once again pitched from side to side as either the Hummer or the truck, or maybe even a third, yet unseen, vehicle barreled into us.

We were hit a third time before I called, "Mello, you've got to lose them!"

"No you think?" he responded back bitingly.

"If you've got enough extra concentration to respond sarcastically, you're doing it wrong," I accused, reminding myself of the old phrase, 'If you can kiss a girl and drive a car safely, you are not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.' Einstein was good for more than just math.

"Do you want to explain to me, how an armed escort was overlooked for this situation?" Mello asked me as he pitched the steering wheel from side to side in an attempt to avoid the constant barrage of bullets riddling his car.

"Gevanni felt-"

"Yup there's your answer. That idiot!"

"Let me finish! Gevanni felt that an armed escort would only draw attention to us."

"Yeah, because the people who were after the bomb wouldn't know that we had the bomb anyway. We really should have had a backup plan."

"There was supposed to be a backup plan. There was supposed to be a fake bomb that another team would take to lead the people who were after the bomb away from us."

"Didn't work to well, did it," Mello mused as he swerved violently once more to avoid another aggressive hit from the vehicles around us. "Jewel," Mello said after another moment.

"Yeah, what?"

"I think we're going to have a problem."

"A bigger one than we have right now?" I asked, still fighting for my balance under the dashboard.

"Yeah, just maybe. They're trying to box us in."

"What?" I tried to wiggle out of my cubbyhole to take a look, but another succession of rapid gunfire had me reconsidering how badly I needed to see what was going on. "Mello where are we? Are we anywhere near headquarters?"

"Not really. And at this point I think it'd be a bad idea to head down there. We might have more cover down there, but leading these guys to your brother's organization I don't think is exactly a first-rate idea."

"You're telling me. Are there any signs of the others behind or in front of us?"

"Haven't seen them since we left."

"Alright, I'm calling in for some help!" I fished into my pocket and pulled out my cell. I hit five on the speed dial and waited. "That idiot! And he lectures me about not answering my cell?" I shouted when I got no answer from Near. I closed my phone, this time hitting number six on my speed dial."

"Jewel? What's up?"

"Heh, you're kind of not going to believe this Gevanni."

"What's going on? ...Is that gunfire I hear!" I could practically visualize Gevanni's panicked expression.

"Yeahhh, that's the thing. We could kind of use some help down here."

"Who's shooting at you?"

"Well, I didn't exactly get their names," I grumbled.

"Alright, where are you? I'll send someone right over."

"Mello, where are we?" I shouted up to him.

"Just tell that dumbass to follow the gunfire. They're making such a racket. And tell him to hurry. They're about to lock us in!"

"We're on the same road we were when we left!" I explained back to Gevanni. "We're in between a rock and a hard place, if you don't call in an air strike we're going to be in a world of hurt."

"Alright, alright! I'll see what I can do!" Gevanni's phone clicked off and I shut mine and stuffed it back into my pocket.

"What's it looking like up there Mello?"

"Not promising, I'll tell you that. It's a good thing Matt suped this car up last month. The only way we've made it this far is by outrunning them."

"You got this Mello! Gevanni's sending help."

"That'd be great if I actually trusted the guy."

"Mello, he's not that bad."

"Except that he IS!"

"You only don't trust him because-"

"Don't, finish that sentence."

With Mello's sternness suddenly everything got quiet and for a moment I believed I was imagining it until Mello said, "They're leaving!"

"WHAT!"

"They're falling back."

I poked my head up cautiously like a prairie dog testing the wind for hints of its predators. When no gunfire immediately took my head off, I slid back into my seat and checked the view from the rear windshield.

Sure enough, the Hummer and the GMC had stopped. I was mentally preparing myself for some sort of rocket launcher, but not only were the vehicles stopped, they were turning around to leave.

"What the...?"

"Your boyfriend made a deal with the devil for that one."

"Who says Gevanni did that?" I asked, flipping the right way around in my seat and buckling up.

"Who else? They were so freaking adamant about getting the bomb just two seconds ago and now what? They just leave after you put in a call to your boy toy?"

"Call him that one more time... I'll admit it's a little weird but-"

"But nothing. I don't trust that guy."

"It takes a rat to know a rat, is that it?" I asked saucily.

* * *

><p>Mello and I made it safely back to our headquarters without any more incidents of crazed terrorists.<p>

"Jewel! Thank heavens you're safe!" Gevanni tackle-hugged me the second I got out of Mello's car. I tried not to notice Mello's ticked off expression at that. "Alright you!" Gevanni shouted to the cop I had lifted the handcuffs off. "Bring the keys over here, and let's get that bomb disarmed now!"

"Upstairs, if you don't mind. I feel more than a little exposed out here."

Gevanni nodded and the whole lot of us tramped into the building and piled into the elevator. I don't remember ever having to ride with so many other people before. It was a good thing I wasn't claustrophobic.

"Alright, get those cuffs off of her," Gevanni ordered the second we were all in Near's office.

The cop, and a handful of other people, including Near, Matt and Mello, gathered in a small, half circle around me. The cop slipped his key into the lock and removed the stainless steel bracelet from around my wrist. He then unlocked the cuffs from the briefcase and put them back in his pocket. He passed the briefcase itself off to a member of our bomb disposal squad.

"I'll give you guys a hand with that bomb. I built it after all." Matt shadowed the technicians and the police out of the office, leaving Mello, Gevanni, Near and I standing there in silence.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but my contentment was short lived.

So what now? I wanted to ask... No, I didn't want to ask. I didn't want that awkwardness on my shoulders. But I did want to know the answer.

"Well then," Near finally started, "I suppose I ought to thank you and Matt for your contribution these past two weeks in recovering the bomb."

"Although if they hadn't built it in the first place," Gevanni added under his breath.

"Sure, whatever," Mello responded, and then turned to go.

"W-wait!" I said, before I could even think.

Mello stopped without turning around, "Yeah? What?"

"W-well...?" there was a long pause as I fought to find my words.

"Look, if you don't have anything to say, I'd appreciate it if you didn't waste any more of my time. I've been here far too long already. Caught up in your guys' problem."

Well fine then, ass.

I let the snarl form on my lips, but I bowed my head to hide its presence from those around me.

It was looking like it was going to end exactly like it had last time. It was looking like Mello really was going to leave.

"Are you, going to stick around? Maybe we can work on more cases together?" What was I saying, and why couldn't I make myself stop talking!

"In case you've forgotten, there are more than enough warrants on my head to keep me on my toes if I stuck around here."

"We could take care of those," I suggested weakly.

"We're on different sides of the law Jewel. We always were. It's not going to work out... But for the record, I am sorry."

With that Mello disappeared from the office, and from my life... Again.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Whew! It's all over... or is it? And what's Mello going to do now?

Sorry if the apprehension of the bomb seemed a little rushed and lacking of detail. I was rushed and I really didn't know how to make it incredibly believeable. I also didn't want to take away from the later car/gunfight scene, so yeah.

Well hope y'all liked it :)

I promise I'll get right on responding to my reviews and PM's the second I finish my Statistics and Data Analysis final!


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note:** OMG WEDDING DAY :D It's the wedding day, wedding day! (Yes, I skipped over that ten days. I mean, the bombs been found, Mello's gone. All that's left is the wedding!) You guys excited? The story is coming to a close! Will we have a 'Happily Ever After'? Or am I just going to have everyone die like in Macbeth ;P ...Oh, yeah, sorry. If you didn't know yet, EVERYONE freaking dies at the end of Macbeth :)

Also, I realized after all your guys' music suggestions, that I listen to really mainstream stuff ha-ha ;P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 24, 2024. 12:00 PM... 1 Hour Left...<strong>

I hadn't seen Mello. I hadn't seen Mello or Matt in ten days. They had both been MIA since the bomb had been recovered.

It was exactly what I had been betting on, but admittedly, I had been hoping for a little more... from both of them. It was a given though, wherever Mello went Matt was going to follow him, and apparently wherever Mello went I was going to be left behind.

I wasn't upset though. I had been betting on that particular outcome. You can't be disappointed when things turn out the way that you expect them too... At least that's what I was telling myself. I had issued Mello and ultimatum. I told him that it was one way or the other, and he had chosen the other.

I sighed forlornly.

"You should really stop sighing you know. Brides are supposed to be stoked on their wedding days," Linda smiled up at me as she fixed the ruffles of my dress.

I managed a weak smile back down to her. "I'm happy Linda. Why would you think I wasn't happy?"

She just shot me a knowing look and shook her head.

"Gevanni's a great guy. He really is. He's great with Marsh, and he's got a good job."

"Hey, it's not ME you have to convince." Linda stood up from the bottom of the dress, straightening it as she rose. She fixed the fabric around my bust and then have me a gentle shove to a full length mirror in the corner of the room.

"You know, I'm so glad you could make it. There wasn't anybody else I would prefer to have as my Maid of Honour," I confessed as I examined my reflection.

I had picked out a princess cut dress with three-quarter sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. It was a perfect fit, and decorated in a lovely pattern with all manner of diamonds, white sapphires, blue sapphires and other assorted jewels.

To compliment the gems on my dress I had picked out a set of white sapphire stud earrings and a set of blue sapphire stud earrings for my two piercings. Something new, something blue. Linda had graciously brought and lent me the one thing she had left from her childhood. Her mother's sapphire hair comb. Something old, something borrowed. I was using the comb to hold my bundle of silver hair in a tight bun.

My eyes were laced with a deep, sapphire blue shadow with glints of metallics. I was wearing a dark liner and my lashes were long and full. I had even had my nails painted sapphire blue. It wasn't conventional, but it really tied the piece together.

If it weren't for the random assortment of blue sapphires and dark shades I would've looked like a ghost. White dress, silver hair, alabaster skin, platinum eyes? I was a veritable spectre.

"Heh, I wouldn't have missed it. I'm surprised you found me though."

"It wasn't too difficult," I smiled turning away from the mirror and back to her. "At least not with Near looking," we chuckled together.

"Mommy!" I heard all of the sudden as my little Marsh peeked in the door.

"Come 'ere princess," I smiled and held my arms open wide.

She returned the smile and rushed in. She looked like an absolute angel. Her platinum blonde hair was done in an up-do and held in place with a white gold comb with blue and white sapphires and accented with a dark blue ribbon. Her short Flower Girl dress was covered with lace and absolutely stunning on her. Her blue dress shoes matched her azure eyes.

"Hey kid, doesn't your mom look amazing?" Linda asked her sweetly.

"Yes! And you do too!" Marsh confirmed and Linda beamed down at her.

"I'm not even in my dress yet."

"Yeah, we should fix that eh?" I suggested.

Linda's hair and makeup were already done. Her golden, chestnut brown hair was tied up like Marsh's and her makeup was more focused on silvers than blues to more closely match her skin tone.

I slipped a larger version of Marsh's dress off of a hanger and handed it Linda. "Are you going to need a hand?"

"Nah, I got this," she winked and took her dress into the adjoining room.

"So, what do you think about all this?" I asked Marsh as I seated myself carefully down on a couch. I patted the spot beside me and she sat down as well.

"It's all pretty exciting I think," she mused with a far off look in her eyes.

"Yeahhh," I sighed and joined her in her distant stare.

Linda came back into the room a few moments later. "How do I look?" she asked, giving a three-sixty degree twirl in her blue dress.

"So pretty," Marsh smiled.

"You look really beautiful Linda," I added. "Thanks again for being here."

"Sure thing hun. Now I'm going to take a look around and make sure everything is running smoothly. You sit here! We can't risk Gevanni seeing you in that dress. It's bad luck you know." She winked again then turned to leave. "You want to come with me little Marsh? Give your mom sometime to relax?"

"Sure, sure," Marsh smiled, jumping off the couch and following Linda out of the room.

Linda closed the door behind her, leaving me alone in the room with only my thoughts to keep me company.

* * *

><p>I guess this was really going to happen. I was going to marry Gevanni, and the two of us would go on with our lives like we did now except that we would be married. I would pack up all the items in my apartment and move in to Gevanni's place. We would share a living room and a kitchen, we would share a bathroom and a bedroom. Marsh would go back to Wammy's until she was ready to officially join the organization established by my brother, and that would be that. that would be the rest of my boring life until the end of time.<p>

But I suppose security was worth the price of excitement, no?

I thought back to my old notebooks I had pulled down from their dusty refuge the other day. The two types of love; passionate and companionate.

Passionate love: Characterized by high arousal, intense attraction and fear of rejection.

Companionate love: Characterized by a secure, trusting, stable partnership.

The epitome of the first was Mello, and Gevanni? Gevanni summed up the second quite nicely. The question was, which one did I want?

I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I was getting older. It really was time for me to settle down... Wasn't it? ...Was it? Was it time for me to hang up my proverbial hat and buy knitting needles and wool and watch Soaps on TV?

I threw my arms up in defeat and crashed back hard against the back of the couch. Why was life so complicated? Math wasn't this complicated. You take a formula in math and plug in your numbers and you have your answer. You couldn't do that with real life. There was no magic formula that could predict your future or tell you what to do.

It, I decided, would be much easier if someone did just tell me what to do. It would be much easier if I didn't have to make this decision for myself. That way, if something went wrong, or if I didn't like the outcome, I could just blame someone else. The burden wouldn't rest on my shoulders. I almost wished then, that this whole thing was all over with.

It was after that that another nagging idea entered my mind. I wanted to believe it, but I just couldn't. I just couldn't believe that the issue of the bomb was over with. I mean, all that trouble we'd been through in the first half of the month, and then what? We manage to capture the bomb without any injury or death one lucky afternoon? Unlikely.

All the hassle and insanity we had gone through; the explosion, who was the fourth person who was supposed to be in the building that day? And then the attempts on my life, the crazy psycho who held me hostage in some basement cell...

A strong knocking on the door had me shaking my mind back into consciousness.

* * *

><p>"Jewel, Jewel! It's time! Everyone is ready and waiting!" Linda called in a hushed whisper as she and Marsh let themselves back into my room.<p>

So, this really was it.

Linda helped me on with my veil and marched me out of the room and down the hall. I was in a trance the whole time. She stopped me right outside the great wooden doors that lead into the gallery.

I must have started shaking because Linda put her hands on my shoulders to steady me and said, "You look absolutely gorgeous hun. This'll be just fine." She straightened my dress one more time and then called quietly, "Near, get over here! It's time!"

From the corner of my eyes I saw movement. Near, who had been leaning against a wall across the hall walked slowly over to me. I hadn't even noticed him. His white clothes and silver hair had allowed him to blend right into the ivory paint on the walls. I had tried to talk him into a blue vest or tie, but Near wasn't up for that and I didn't want to press him.

Linda got Near latched onto my arm, then lined up in front of us, and got Marsh lined up in front of her. She leaned over Marsh's head and tapped twice on the big wooden doors. Inside the gallery the wedding march started and I began to feel faint.

After two full bars Marsh opened the double doors and began to march in time to the song. Linda waited for her cue and then went in after her.

As Near and I waited for our turn the butterflies in my stomach turned into full on snakes and the lump in my throat swelled to the size of a grapefruit. I was almost afraid I wouldn't be able to get my legs to move, but on our cue Near and I started down the isle.

I scanned the crowd as we walked.

No Mello.

Near and I made it to the front of the Gallery and stopped in front of the judge's bench. The song ended and a quiet reverence spread over the room.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

No Mello.

"I do," Near said and then took his seat in the front row.

The judge paused a beat and then said, "Family and friends, we welcome you today to witness the marriage of Stephen Gevanni and Jewel?" The judge shot me a confused look, and I just rolled my eyes under my veil. It wasn't my fault that Gevanni's fake name was more believable than mine. I probably should have come up with a last name for the ceremony, but I didn't feel like I needed to. It's not like either of us were using our real names anyway. The judge continued, "You have shared and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today, Jewel," the pause on my name was far too noticeable, "and Gevanni ask you to share in their future."

I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder and check for Mello. Telling myself that if he was here, I would have known about it by now.

"Marriage is a promise, made in the hearts of two people who love each other, which takes a lifetime to fulfill. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other's lover, teacher, listener, critic, and best friend..."

Oh my... I was getting so antsy. I started twitching and fidgeting inside my dress. The ceremony was going too fast and too slow all at the same time. I just wanted to get it over with and get out of here, but at the same time, I wanted to give Mello all the time I could for him to get here.

"...It is into this state that Jewel and Gevanni wish to enter..."

No Mello.

I hung my head and waited for the inevitable. It was Mello's last chance to show up, to make a grand entrance and say that he wanted me forever and ever.

No Mello.

"If anyone has reason why these two should not be joined in wedlock, speak now or forever hold your peace."

No Mello.

The judge made a move to continue the ceremony and I resigned myself to the life I had agreed to, when suddenly a loud succession of gasps spread throughout the rows of guests. I turned my head to see what had happened and could not believe my eyes.

Near was standing up in the middle of the mass of people and all eyes in the room were on him. He fiddled with a lock of his silver hair for a moment, uncomfortable with all the staring eyes and was about to open his mouth to say something when a loud banging grabbed all of our attention and directed it towards the back of the courtroom.

The two great, wooden doors were thrown open and a slight figure was silhouetted by the afternoon sun.

"Sit down sheep, I got this."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So, I was originally not going to have Linda be here, at the wedding, but I just couldn't help it ^_^ ...Besides, who else was going to be Jewel's Maid of Honour? Also, I was originally going to have Jewel wearing peridots instead of sapphires because they're her birth stones and go better with gold (the gold ring) than sapphires do. But I figured I needed something blue anyway, so why not :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** OMG what's going to happen!

I only have three more finals left. I'm halfway done. I don't want this year to end though :/ I'm going to have to go back home and start working. I don't like working. It bothers me. But hey, I'm going to be going for my Class 5 Drivers License soon :D Wish me luck! ...LOL I want to pass THAT test if for no other reason than it's going to be embarrassing if I don't.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

* * *

><p><strong>August 24, 2024. 1:30 PM...<strong>

_The judge made a move to continue the ceremony and I resigned myself to the life I had agreed to, when suddenly a loud succession of gasps spread throughout the rows of guests. I turned my head to see what had happened and could not believe my eyes._

_Near was standing up in the middle of the mass of people and all eyes in the room were on him. he fiddled with a lock of his silver hair for a moment, uncomfortable with all the staring eyes and was about to open his mouth to say something when a loud banging grabbed all of our attention and directed it towards the back of the courtroom._

_The two great, wooden doors were thrown open and a slight figure was silhouetted by the afternoon sun._

"_Sit down sheep, I got this."_

Mello.

An instant smile spread on my lips and the weight on my shoulders seemed to disappear. My heart was lighter than air and my body reached an all new high. I felt tiny droplets of moisture in the corners of my eyes and I realized that for the first time since my daughter was born, I was crying out of happiness rather than despair.

Startled and horrified gasps came from the guests as Mello sauntered down the aisle to the front of the room.

"Just what pray tell, are you doing here?" Gevanni asked, stepping in front of me and disallowing Mello access to my person.

"Get out, of my way," Mello growled, the threat behind his words very real.

"I don't think so," Gevanni said, unintimidated. "You've disrupted my life and hers for the last time. We don't want you here."

"I think it's up to Jewel to decide, whether or not she wants me here."

"I don't want you here. It's time for you to leave."

Mello and Gevanni faced off for a second. There was dead silence amongst all the other people in the room. Heck, I didn't even think half the people were breathing, let alone daring to talk.

Without breaking his state with Gevanni, Mello asked me, "So, what about it Jewel? Are you going to let this guy start deciding what's best for you just because you're going to marry him?"

I said nothing.

"I have nothing more to say to you Gevanni. I came here to talk with Jewel, not you. Now you're going to get out of my way, or I'm going to make you get out of my way."

There was another tense moment before Gevanni finally stepped aside. "Say what you need to say and get out Mello. Before I have you arrested for something."

Mello took another step closer to me, cutting off Gevanni's angle, if he wanted to block him again. There was an apprehensive second while I waited for Mello to find his words.

"Jewel, I... I know I haven't always been there for you. I'll be the first one to admit that. And I can't promise that I'm always going to be there for you either Jewel. But I can promise that I'm always going to love you, because even after all these years, that hasn't changed. No one makes me feel like you do, there isn't anyone else in the world I care about as much as I care about you. And I know, I know I don't always show it, but it's true. I... I know I'm not perfect Jewel," I couldn't imagine how hard it was for Mello to actually come out with those words, "I know I'm not perfect, but you make me feel like I'm perfect. It just took me a little too long to realize it."

"Yeah? Well maybe she should be with someone who knows what he had the whole time," Gevanni said smugly.

I didn't say anything. All I did was hold my gaze with Mello and try desperately not to smile and give myself away.

"Jewel, say something," Mello begged after a moment.

I'm waiting for something Mello.

There was another short pause as Mello seemed to read and comprehend my thoughts.

"Jewel, I've... I've asked you once. And I... I don't care how many more times I have to ask, because I won't stop asking."

Go on...

"Jewel, will you marry me?" Another chorus of gasps worked its way through the crowd. Mello tentatively reached into his pocket and came out with an all too familiar, black velvet box.

I beamed.

"Think it took you long enough!" I asked lightly as jumped into Mello's arms, tears pooling in my eyes.

"Too long, too long Jewel," Mello whispered into my ear as he twirled me around, my flowing skirt fanning out behind me.

"W-what-what is this!" Gevanni asked incredulous.

Oops, almost forgot about him.

Mello let me down and I prepared myself to let Gevanni down. "I'm sorry," I told him, all the sincerity I could collect in my voice. "I care about you Gevanni, a lot. I really do. But this," I leaned back into his chest and I felt Mello place his hands gently on my shoulders, "this is something I've wanted for as long as I can remember."

"He's not to be trusted Jewel," Gevanni pleaded. "He's proven himself to be dishonest far too many times."

I felt Mello hang his head behind me. I knew if anyone agreed with Gevanni, it was Mello himself.

"Who's to say he won't leave you again?" Gevanni charged.

"There's always that possibility," I responded quietly. "But the chance, the chance at everything I've ever wanted, is well worth that risk." There was a pause and I sensed Gevanni was about to say something, but I added, "I've lost Mello more times than I care to count. And I know how it feels when he's gone. But the truth is, there isn't anybody who makes me feel like he does either... I'm sorry Gevanni. I really am."

"He, he can't be trusted!" Gevanni tried again. "He's a criminal! He's got warrants out for his arrest all over the place, for charges ranging from larceny to murder Jewel! A life with him would destroy any chance you had of going back to school, or opening your own practice. You couldn't work with Near anymore. And do you really want to do that to Marsh too? Her future would be gone; being the daughter of two on the run fugitives."

I could feel the frustration Mello was feeling at Gevanni's words through his hands which were still on my shoulders.

"I love him," I said frankly.

"Love is blind Jewel."

"Love is when an imperfect person, is perfect for you," I lifted my hands and laid them on top of Mello's, then pulled his arms around me, extending the closeness between us. His touch was giving me goosebumps. I sighed and felt Mello do the same thing behind me, releasing his tension.

"I, in good conscious, cannot let you be with him," Gevanni persisted and I was almost at the point of rolling my eyes, but I didn't. I knew this probably wasn't easy for him. I truly did care about Gevanni, but I adored Mello. I had from day one.

"It isn't any of your concern anymore," Mello said flatly. There was, for once, no contempt in his voice for Gevanni.

"You stay out of this Mello, you've caused enough trouble here today," Gevanni's tone was cool and controlled and I wondered how hard he was having to work to keep it that way.

Mello looked like he was about to say something but stopped arguing suddenly, and a confused look dawned on his face. "Wait a minute," he turned and surveyed the guests and the rest of the room before turning back to us and kitting his eyebrows together.

"What?" I asked, getting confused myself.

"Where's Matt?" he asked me back.

"Matt? I haven't seen him for like, ten days. I haven't seen him since the two of you left that night. I thought he was with you," I shrugged.

"He texted me and said he was going to stay with you."

"Stay with me? Mello, since when has Matt ever chosen me over you?"

"Well there was that time when I left Wammy's."

"That doesn't count."

"So... Where is he then?"

"Guys!" came an overly panicked voice from the back of the hall. We all turned just in time to see Matt burst through the already open wooden doors. "Guys there's- there's another bomb!" he shouted breathlessly.

And then all hell broke loose.

Guests started shouting and crying out as about a dozen armed men in suits stood up from the crowd and raised their weapons. Before I fully knew what was happening I heard gunfire break out all around me. I watched horrified as a puff of pink spray pulsed from Matt's shoulder and he went down.

"Matt!" three voices cried out at once, one of them was mine; the other two belonged to Mello and Marsh.

Marsh! My baby!

Instinctually I dove on top of her to cover her with my body and protect her from stray bullets. Nothing was going to happen to my princess so long as I was alive.

At the same time as I landed on Marsh, I felt a heavy pressure on top of me. Mello had done the same thing and was now shielding the both of us from the wild bullets that whisked and whizzed over our heads.

"Mommy!" Marsh cried below me.

I shifted to make sure that she was fully protected. I squinted my eyes closed and wrapped my arms around her small frame, I felt her fine, silky hair against my cheek and her small body start to tremble below mine.

"Mello!" I cried in panic as small tears of worry and confusion started to form in the corner of my eyes.

"Take this!" he ordered and pressed the cold, polished steel of a Colt 45 into my side.

"You brought a gun to a wedding!" I shouted incredulously.

"No! Do you think I'm an idiot? ...I brought two guns!"

"Mello, what are you-"

"Just take it! I'm going to find Matt."

And with that the pressure on top of me was gone and so was Mello.

Beside me Gevanni knelt down to our level to see if Marsh and I were okay.

"Gevanni, what's going on?" I cried.

"I couldn't say for sure,"

"You couldn't say 'for sure'? What do you think is going on?"

"Listen, you and Marsh just need to get out of here alright? I'll take care of this, you two just need to get out."

"That doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon," I whined.

"Why not?"

I pointed under a bench to the grand wooden doors which were being closed and chained shut by three guys with Uzis.

"Damn," Gevanni cussed and pulled a Glock 17 out of the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket.

"You did not bring a gun to our wedding!" I charged.

"Uhm, no...?" Gevanni shot me a sheepish look, then sat up and aimed over a bench at the guys chaining and padlocking the door. He caught one in the shoulder and another in the side before the three of them dispersed into the crowd. The damage had been done though. There was going to be no easy way to get those doors open.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

"I'll tell you all what's going on!" came a booming voice from the judge's bench. "Attention all! Can I have your attention please." All around us the gunfire quieted and the shouting ceased. "Thank you, thank you," the man cleared his throat. "Now then, I have something to tell you people..."

I hadn't really been paying attention to our officiate during the beginning of the ceremony. It was only now that I was really taking him in. He was quite tall at, at least six feet. He was dressed neatly in a tux of his own and was clean shaven; his sienna brown hair was flecked with grays, but neatly styled and swept to the side. He appeared to be in his early forties and overall wasn't bad looking... until you met his eyes. His eyes too were a dark brown, but had no discernible soul in them; instead a glazed over, crazed stare was being shot back at me.

"I," he continued, "am here to speak on behalf of my beloved god Kira."

Oh hell no.

Have you ever had one of those moments? One of those moments when someone says something so obtuse, not even a face-palm can accurately represent your reaction to it?

I sat up and crossed my arms over my knees and knit my brows. I was NOT going to start dealing with this again.

"My beloved god Kira came to me in a dream..." Oh, so he was one of THOSE people. "Kira told me that I must destroy all of those who oppose him so that he may once again assume his reign. The world is rotten, and our god Kira will once again purify all the wicked and the unjustness. He has chosen me to remove the obstacles in the way of creating his perfect world."

"Uhm, yeah, hi," I spoke up, raising and waving my hand like a kid in school. "Sorry to interrupt your motivational, 'I have a dream' speech up there Mr. King, but Kira's dead."

"NO! Kira is not dead!" the man shouted, becoming instantly enraged. "Kira was forced into hiding by the likes of you and your deceitful organization. I have been charged with the extermination of your blasphemous association."

Of course he was. I rolled my eyes and sighed in annoyance.

"Now then..." our resident psychopath continued.

I wasn't paying attention to him anymore though; I was assessing the situation. From my space on the floor I surveyed the room. I counted thirty-seven men with Uzis that I judged to be with the psycho. They were stationed strategically around the room; three at each of the exits and the rest crouching up against the walls. The scariest thing wasn't that they were there; it was that I had seen them before. About five of the men, were ones that worked in our building. All of the others who were there were also from our organization, but they appeared to all be on our side. There were about twenty men and women in fancy attire standing in the middle of the room, guns pointed out towards the offenders against the walls.

Had EVERYONE besides me brought a gun today? I scrunched up my face at a new thought and glanced over my shoulder at the little angel in blue, who was staring up at me wide-eyed. I looked down at her critically, "You don't have gun do you?"

"No?" she asked back, confused.

I nodded, "'Kay, good."

The guy was still ranting so I took one last quick look around the room. Linda was cowering nervously behind Gevanni's best man and the ring bearer, who I wasn't sure if I knew or not. They were both crouched on the ground and had Desert Eagles primed, ready to fire. Near was huddled on the ground across the aisle with a circle of special agents standing around him. I scanned under the benches and found Mello tending to Matt's shoulder wound three quarters of the way back from the front.

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><p>'Alright Jewel,' I said to myself. 'Time for a plan.' I stole another quick glance back to Marsh. She was watching the situation nervously, but appeared to be calming down from the initial shock of the sudden gunfire. I had to get her out first, and Linda. Linda hadn't signed up for this kind of work. I would leave Matt and this 'another bomb' to Mello. I was sure they would find me if they needed me... Actually, I was pretty sure, they wouldn't come anywhere near me if they needed help, but I waved that thought away. Near was a priority too. This organization was centered around him, and besides, someone had to look after that little cretin.<p>

Now that I knew who I had to get out first, the question was how. Call for back up? I didn't have my cell on me, but someone else might. I'd trust on that someone else to make the call themselves. What else? The doors, presumably all of them, were chained shut, but these guys had to be getting out somehow right?

"You're not going to get away with this!" Gevanni shouted suddenly, drawing my attention back into the conversation.

"Oh, but I think I am Gevanni. Everyone here is going to die today! And it's all because-"

Before he could finish his sentence Gevanni jumped up behind me and fired three quick shots at our officiate. Two of the shots grazed his flesh and the third ended up splintering the wood beside his head.

Before anyone else could react I wrapped my arms around Gevanni's legs and pulled him to the ground. "Are you crazy standing up like that! You're going to get shot!" I shouted.

Suddenly the power went out, and darkness flooded the room. With the darkness came another uproar and muzzle flashes and gunshot pierced the blackness.

I instantly reached out to where Linda had just been sitting and pulled her close when I grabbed her arm. "Linda, take Marsh and find a way out of here."

"But-"

"No 'buts.' You and her have to get out of here! Okay?"

"Sure Jewel, but, what are you going to do?"

"Leave that to me." I switched places on the floor with Linda so that she was now beside Marsh and started crawling. I crawled along the ground in Mello's general direction praying that my luck held out and that I could find him without getting shot.

"Mello," I called when I finally bumped into him, "what's going on?"

"Matt says there's another bomb. He says it's probably here!"

"What's another bomb doing here? How does he know?"

"We'll explain later. We still have to find the damn thing. It's our original, so it should still be in a briefcase."

"Your original?" I asked incredulous.

"We'll explain later!" Mello emphasized again.

"Hey, unzip me, this thing is too cumbersome!" I said, indicating my dress.

"Uhm, but..."

"I'm wearing a slip underneath idiot! And I can barely breathe in this thing let alone move."

"'Kay fine." Mello's hands found the back of my dress and gently guided the zipper down. 'I will not be turned on in the middle of a gunfight!' I ordered myself, squinting my eyes shut.

I kicked off my shoes and slid out of my dress, tossing it to the side. "Much better," I said, gulping in a deep lungful of air. I adjusted the silky fabric around my body, and fixed the spaghetti straps on my shoulders. I was ready for business.

I jumped up from my place beside Mello, gun firing, wishing I had a full on automatic machine gun instead of just a handgun. I hopped over, and slid under a number of benches, and then I saw him in a flash of gunpowder; the crazed leader of this rogue band. He was making his way out the back door of the courtroom.

Without hesitation I was up and after him, firing my weapon. Not easy to shoot a moving target, not easy to shoot while moving, not easy to shoot in the dark. I was just about to leap over my last bench when a rock hard wall hit me in my side and tackled me to the ground. I was winded for just a moment and when I regained my breath I shouted, "What are you doing Gevanni?"

"Saving your life Jewel. You don't want to go after that guy. You don't seem to understand, he wants us all dead."

"That's exactly why I have to go after him. He needs to be stopped before this gets any more out of control!"

"Stay here Jewel!" he ordered me. "I'll take care of this guy," he said and took off after the psychotic 'judge.'

Yeah, I was just totally going to stay here.

I waited ten seconds, put my game face on and charged after him.

The back of the courthouse was a warren of side passages, and rooms; and with the power out and only the emergency lights to guide me I was making very poor time. I listened carefully for footfalls or calls but all I was able to make out was the shouts and screams from the main gallery.

'C'mon Jewel,' I willed myself. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. I focused my mind and sifted through the sounds.

I listened hard. I focused through the shouts from the gallery, focused past the sound of my own heartbeats... There! To my left! I started running again; through hallways and corridors until finally I came to an especially dark hallway with one closed door right at the end. I slowed my pace and crept towards it, keeping my breathing silent and my footfalls soft.

I slowed even more as I neared the large, wooden frame and laid my ear against it more silently than a butterfly might have.

"...Ahh, but that wasn't the deal Gevanni. You didn't do your job."

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So I'm pretty sure that the "Remember me for 3 days" option on the login page, is actually more like, 'Remember me for 2 days' because there's no way I wait 3 days spans between checking in on my page.

But OMG wasn't this chapter intense ;D


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the late update guys, but hey! I'm done ALL my finals! AHAHAHAH :'D SO HAPPY! The decrease in stress after going from two finals to one, was expo-freaking-nential And now to not have ANY! WHOO ;P

And hey, there's only two more chapters after this one ;P Ohmygosh! You have to tell me your feelings on that? Are you happy? Are you sad? Are you crawling up the walls with your marshmallow coated fingers like Spiderman on speed?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it... And hey, please excuse my liberal use of the 'f-word' in this chapter. I know some people might get offended, so here's your heads up :)

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><p><strong>August 24, 2024. 1:47 PM...<strong>

_I started running again; through hallways and corridors until finally I came to an especially dark hallway with one closed door right at the end. I slowed my pace and crept towards it, keeping my breathing silent and my footfalls soft._

_I slowed even more as I neared the large, wooden frame and laid my ear against it more silently than a butterfly might have._

"_...Ahh, but that wasn't the deal Gevanni. You didn't do your job."_

I really tried my best not to jump to conclusions. It didn't go over so well.

I fought to keep the jack-hammering in my chest under control; the pounding and pulsing of blood was so loud in my ears I might have sworn that everybody within a two door radius was hearing it too. But I couldn't be worried about that right now. I had other, more important things to listen to...

"Look I tried! It just didn't happen!"

"You didn't try hard enough Gevanni; that little white rat is still alive. I thought you were supposed to be good at this."

"It wasn't even my fault, and he never left himself open anyway. Please, you don't have to do this!"

"That was part of the deal Gevanni. Didn't I warn you that if you couldn't deliver I was going to have to do something unspeakable?" A gross, guttural chuckle escaped from the door and entered my ear, "Besides, I saw what happened, I was there. It looks like that white haired wretch isn't even a concern of yours anymore."

That was low of him, bringing that up. I was sorry for what I had done to Gevanni. I really was! It was my own selfishness that was now causing Gevanni's pain. Whether I thought Mello was going to show up today or not, I should have said something to Gevanni; I should have at least warned him what might happen... A pang of guilt resonated in my chest.

Sudden shouting in the room had my attention being pulled back through the door. "...I didn't know!"

"If you didn't know about this, what are all those defensive men doing out there with guns? There were so many people around that white headed rat I couldn't get anywhere near him."

"I don't know! I didn't put them there! I swear!"

"You're forced my hand Gevanni. You might have been able to save the rest of them had you only cooperated."

It was time to make my entrance. It was time to get to the bottom of this. I pushed the wooden door open slowly with my weapon drawn and all talking in the room ceased.

"Jewel?" Gevanni spoke first.

"Ahh, the precious little jewel," the other one mocked sarcastically.

"What's going on here Gevanni," I asked sternly, my eyes locked onto the threat in the room.

"Nothing Jewel, you have to get out of here! You have to leave!"

"I want answers Gevanni!" I demanded, gun still trained on the man at the back of the room.

The temperature in the room rose by the second as Gevanni refused to answer me. Finally the one I had yet to be formally introduced to spoke up and answered with, "Well if he won't tell you, I will." Gevanni's head fell and I heard a depressive sigh float out of his lungs. I stole a quick glance at his face and found him to be wearing an expression of total defeat. It was like he had aged twenty years in the past two minutes.

"When I received my calling from my god Kira to destroy your brother and cripple his organization, I knew I would need someone on the inside to help me. It really wasn't hard getting Gevanni here to agree to help me. One little suggestion that you, my dear, might be hurt, and he was totally onboard. He was an ALMOST perfect mole. Cutting camera feeds, erasing tapes, doctoring information and back files. He was a great asset; it was so pleasing when he agreed to help me. Although, I'm sure he's rethinking his decision now; now that in the end you've rejected him and because now we all must die."

"This, this really was all YOUR fault?" I asked Gevanni in disbelief, begging him silently with every fibre in my being that he would deny the accusations made by the other man. Even after having heard what had been said just moments ago through the door, I still didn't want to believe it.

"No Jewel, please. I was only trying to protect you. He only wanted Near. I didn't have a choice. He was going to kill you unless I handed over your brother. That was the deal, all the rest of us would be left alone if I gave them Near."

"So all the attempts on MY life, were really attempts on Near's?"

"She's a little slow this one, isn't she," the maniac stated, jerking his thumb in my direction. "Yes, they were attempts on Near's life. But Gevanni here failed each and every time in his attempts to destroy Master Kira's opponent."

I thought about his words for a moment as a thought occurred to me, "That fucker knew!"

"What?"

"My idiot brother knew! And..." a tiny little memory worked its way back into my mind. "Did Marsh know? Was Marsh in on this!" My little girl had tried to tell me something a couple weeks ago. There had been something on her mind when Gevanni had interrupted us.

Gevanni gave me an apologetic look for a moment, and then said, "I'm sorry. She overheard a conversation between myself and this guy. She knew what was happening, but I told her she mustn't tell anybody or you'd get hurt."

"You left that burden on her shoulders? You made that poor girl carry that secret with her? That's terrible!" I shouted. "Why didn't you just tell me? We could have fixed this a long time ago. We could have stopped this before it all got out of hand."

"I couldn't tell you Jewel, they had me watched, they had me bugged all the time. I couldn't tell you and I couldn't warn Near. If I tried to tell you they told me they would kill you." Gevanni's complacent manner melted in front of my eyes as he pleaded with me, as he begged me to understand.

"Well Near knew anyway. He had to have known. That idiot did everything he could to let me take the fall for him. Giving me his food, letting me take his car, his place in the warehouse raid..." I shook my head again. It was obvious now that Near was supposed to be the 'fourth' guy they were waiting for that night.

"I'm sure he didn't want you to get hurt Jewel," Gevanni assured beside me.

"No, I'm sure he was just using me as his guinea pig. Using me as a medium to solve this case. It was because of everything that happened to me that Near was able to put everything together. That explains all those men outside with guns too. Near knew we were walking into a war zone by coming here today. He hired his most trusted people to come along and be his body guards. It's the only explanation if you didn't tell them to come here." I took a minute to remove myself from my displeasure at my brother and then asked, "So, what happens now?"

"Well that's easy," our suited nemesis said. "We all die."

"Wrong," I responded without missing a beat. "Try again."

"We. Are. ALL. Going. To die," he repeated.

"That wasn't part of the plan," Gevanni cut in.

"But the plans have changed Gevanni. Look at this, they're all here; even that painter chic." The psycho made a wide, sweeping gesture with his arms to indicate the courthouse that we were all trapped inside. "It's one big Wammy's family reunion up in here isn't it? I don't have to take out just Near anymore. I can take out everybody who had a possible chance to replace him. I can take out the second and third in line... I can take out the next generation."

I could have sworn the stoppage of my heart was audible. Everything I was seeing instantly started turning red and I tasted bile in my mouth. My maternal instinct had me baring my teeth.

This guy wasn't getting anywhere close to the 'next generation.'

"Kira will be so proud of me. He will applaud my initiative. I will be Kira's right hand man when he becomes god of the new world."

"Buddy, there is one major flaw in your plan." He shot me a quizzical look, so I continued with, "If we're 'all' going to die, you won't be around to be Kira's right hand man. And oh yeah, the other glaring problem, Kira himself, is dead. If you kill us, we're all going to have died for nothing,"

"No! I will die a martyr."

I turned to Gevanni, "It's like he can't even hear me." I shrugged and shook my head.

"You take me and my threat too lightly miss Jewel," our maniac cautioned. He bent down and his arm and shoulder disappeared for a moment under the desk he was standing beside. When he straightened back up he had a black briefcase in his hand. I didn't even have to ask.

Another freaking bomb.

"You know, why didn't you just shoot him?" I asked frankly. They both looked at me like that was the craziest idea anybody had ever thought of ever. I imagine it was the same look Galileo would've gotten when he suggested the Earth orbited the sun instead of the other way around. After another awkward moment of them staring at me, I turned to Gevanni and asked. "How did you not say anything when this guy was our officiate? I mean, you just let that guy stand up there and pretend to marry us?"

"I didn't know."

"You didn't know?"

"I never met him before. I only ever talked to him on the phone when he was giving me orders."

"Yeah but you hired him."

"That, I can promise you, was a coincidence. I called somebody and asked them to appoint a judge to be our officiate. End of story."

"So, is this guy actually a judge then?"

"I don't know."

"Uhm, hi. I'm standing right here," the psycho interrupted.

"I'm not talking to you. You're dumb and you annoy me." I turned back to Gevanni, "Something else is going on around here, don't you see that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Assuming you're telling me the truth, you didn't know those men were going to be here today. You didn't hire this guy, you thought this was really over when we found the bomb right? But look at those men with Uzis out there," I said gesturing back to the door. "They're from the organization, and yet they're working for him. We were finally supposed to have the bomb in our possession, but now he has it. You know what that means? There's someone else behind this! There's someone ELSE pulling the strings INSIDE the organization! And, and this guy knows about Wammy's. How can you explain that? Judge or not he shouldn't have access to that kind of information."

"You think there's someone else we need to look for too?"

"I think we're already acquainted with who it is," I said knowingly.

A sudden movement in the corner of my eye had me once again turning towards our bomber. I only got a half second glance at what was in his hand before a gunshot split the room and a tearing pain ripped through my arm.

The force from the unexpected bullet knocked me back hard onto the ground. I twisted and turned in pain as the psycho made a mad dash for the back door of the room. "Go! Go after him!" I ordered as I writhed on the floor, clutching my bleeding arm. Gevanni didn't need to be told twice. In an instant he was through the door and after the bomb.

Suddenly Mello exploded through the door behind me as I slowly picked myself up off the ground. "Jewel, I've been looking all over for you! We have to get out of here now!" he demanded, grabbing my non-wounded arm and lifting me off the floor. "There's no time! The bomb is set to go off at two o'clock! There's less than five minutes!"

"Gevanni's gone after that guy! I have to get him!"

"Leave him Jewel! He's the cause of all of this!"

"He only wanted to keep me safe!"

"Okay Jewel, then for him, keep yourself safe and let's get out of here!"

I tore loose from Mello's grip and ran in the direction I'd watched Gevanni leave in.

"Jewel don't!" Mello called as I heard him chasing after me.

"Just go Mello. I'll get Gevanni and we'll get out. I promise!"

"I'm not leaving you Jewel!"

The two of us raced through doors and hallways and up stairs after Gevanni and the man with the bomb. After only a moment we came to an open door at the top of the stairs.

If Gevanni and the bomber had been talking before we'd gotten there, they weren't now. The man looked menacingly at each of us in turn and held the briefcase up in his hand.

"What happened Mello?" I asked without turning back to him. My tunnel vision wouldn't let me focus on anything but the briefcase. "We were supposed to have it."

"I'll tell you about it later. Right now we have to go."

The man raised the briefcase higher in a show of power. Mello not so subtly positioned himself protectively in front of me and began slowly stepping backward, forcing me back towards the door.

"Jewel, we have to go NOW!" Mello whispered harshly.

"Gevanni! Let's go!" I pleaded.

"Jewel!"

Mello's cry was the last thing I heard before an earth shattering explosion knocked me off my feet.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Oh my gosh, ha-ha I felt like those old Batman shows, trying to come up with names for that guy with the bomb that didn't actually involve me naming him. I hate giving names to most of my characters so I had to distinguish him by saying things like, 'suited nemesis.' LOL

So, alright guys, Jewel's afraid of fire; what're all of you afraid of? Two of my top five fears are spiders -arachnophobia- and heights –acrophobia- (I think it's funny how similar those words are.) ...I'd tell you the others, but then I'd have to kill ya ;P

Anyway, I'd like to give a shout-out to those, who predicted weeks ago, that it was all going to be Gevanni's fault. Lol, I was reading the reviews and I was totally killing myself laughing cause it was so spot on ha-ha :'D


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note:** I PASSED FRENCH! ;D YESSS! But there is a downside :S I needed 80% in my psychology class, I got 75% V.V I'm going to need to take it again. But at least this time because I know most of the material already, it'll be easier :) AND because I know it all already, I can do super well on the tests and whatever, and totally use it as a GPA booster ;)

...LOL, now just my driving test to worry about ha-ha ;P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

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><p><strong>August 24, 2024. 2:00 PM...<strong>

"_Jewel, we have to go NOW!" Mello whispered harshly._

"_Gevanni! Let's go!" I pleaded._

"_Jewel!"_

_Mello's cry was the last thing I heard before an earth shattering explosion knocked me off my feet._

When I came to, the room, what was left of it, was in ruins and engulfed in flames. My body tensed and locked up in horror as I watched the demonic orange and yellow flames dance around me. "Noo," I whimpered as I shook with fear. This wasn't happening! Not again! This had to be a nightmare! It just had to be.

But my nightmare was only beginning.

In front of me Mello was knocked unconscious and trapped under a pile of debris. Across the room Gevanni was trapped against the wall under a flaming desk. The sight of someone important to me in mortal peril had me lunging to help him, but to add to my horror, when I moved a searing pain shot up my right leg and I found that I too was pinned under a fallen section of ceiling.

The temperature in the room was rising by the second and the flames surrounding us grew in intensity and a thick, cloud of black smoke rose and pooled above our heads.

C'mon, just no. I couldn't be stuck here! I wasn't going to just accept this! I had to get out! I had to get us all out.

I tried crawling again, slower this time. I inched deliberately along the floor, careful not to jar my leg or already wounded arm. I managed to slip out from under the wreckage and worm my way across the floor.

I stopped midway into the room though, when out of the corner of my eyes I saw the awfulness. The man, the one who had been holding the bomb. He wasn't much of a man anymore. Barely recognizable as a human shape, he was a grotesque mass of blood, bones and flesh.

I shuddered inwardly and fought my gag reflex as I forced myself forward over to Gevanni; knocking the burning rubble off of him with my shoulder.

"Gevanni! Gevanni!" I shook him and he stirred and groaned under the motion but wouldn't come around.

I crawled back to Mello and shook him. When I didn't get any response from him I leaned down to make sure he was still breathing. He was; but just barely.

Now I had a choice to make.

I darted back over to Gevanni in the flaming box of a room and lifted him onto my back. I wasn't sure if I just never realised how heavy he was, or if the smoke in the room was already getting to me; but damn this was going to be one hell of a workout.

I glanced once last time at Mello's unconscious form lying in the middle of the room. "I'm not going to leave you. I'll be back," I promised, and struggled under Gevanni to get the both of us out of the blazing courthouse.

It took longer than I hoped it would to get Gevanni through the building. At one point on the stairs I started to trip and had to put my hand out to steady myself. The wall gave way under the weight and my hand crunched through the blazing drywall, burning and slicing my arm up to my elbow. I didn't feel it though. I wasn't feeling anything but blunt determination and electric adrenaline in my veins... and the tightness of my own lungs which were taking in all of the airborne toxins.

I was coughing and choking by the time the two of us made it out and I could almost swear my body temperature was reaching a critical level.

I dropped Gevanni to the scorched grass and fell to my knees beside him, gasping and heaving.

Across the street I saw Matt, Marsh, Linda and Near staring wide-eyed at the hellfire. At least I wouldn't have to go back in for them. I looked back and watched as an angry crimson and gold firestorm worked its way up, down, and through the building.

"C'mon Jewel, Mello's in there! Mello. He didn't give up on you, he came back for you, and you're going to go back in after him!"

I thought back to my textbooks and recalled how it was normally men who preformed great acts of courage and heroism in situations like this. I remembered reading that the reasoning behind it was because woman had a greater internal drive for survival because they were needed to take care of their offspring; it was an evolutionary adaptation. I stole one more quick glance at Marsh and wondered for a second if both of HER parents were now going to die in a fire.

Before I had a chance to talk myself out of it I raced back into the building.

"Hey you! Stop! You can't go in there" I heard a voice call after me as I crossed the flaming threshold of the courthouse, but there was no way I was stopping.

I found the building even more unstable and dangerous than I had when I was getting out; the fire had spread and was now licking at my legs and arms. I couldn't think about that though, I couldn't stop. I ran, choking and coughing all the way, back up to the blown out room. I raced up the stairs but on the fourth step the splintered and burning wood gave way under my weight and I crashed through the beams. I held onto the step in front for dear life as I kicked and fought my way back up; my shot and torn up arm all the while feeling like it was being ripped off.

My lungs constricted and my muscles tensed with panic as I finally pulled myself up and lay panting on the stairs for a moment to catch my breath. I wasted only a moment before I started back on my mission. I made it up the stairs and down the hall and through the crumbling doorframe into the smouldering tomb.

"C'mon Mello, time to go," I coughed as I tried to push and pull the collection of plaster and wooden beams that were lying across him. I fought and clawed at the debris but it was no good. I couldn't get enough force behind my struggles to move the broken pieces of building. My breathing becoming more and more laboured.

I felt my burst of adrenaline wearing thin as laid down on my back and used the support and leverage of the floor and my legs to finally push the debris off of Mello. I wheezed and panted as my lungs worked overtime in the dense, molecular cloud of poison and carbon monoxide to keep me alive.

"Mello! Mello wake up! You're going to have to help me here," I rasped as I grabbed onto his arm and proceeded to drag him through the room. "WAKE UP!" I shouted as I lost my grasp on Mello's arm and crashed roughly to the floor, the wound on my arm spilling more and more blood.

My brain was shrieking and thrashing with pain inside my head. It felt like someone had taken an ax and was using the sharp end to chisel into my brain. I knew it was because of all the smoke, heat and carbon monoxide I had inhaled and the increasing deficit of blood in my system. Mello and I were both going to be goners if I didn't get us out of here.

In one last ditch effort I grabbed Mello by the front of his shirt and lifted him onto my back. The momentum from my hoist, coupled with his dead weight and my inability to stand straight almost had the both of us back on the floor but an internal drive refused to let me give up. It was like my body was running on auto pilot; all backup systems were engaged, my brain was no longer in control. My body was acting of its own accord.

I stumbled and fell through the building, half the time I was unable to breathe and the other half I wasn't taking in enough unpolluted air anyway. Finally I saw it, the light that wasn't caused by the fire; the light caused by the afternoon sun.

So close.

I felt my muscles give and my body shake as I drew the last ounce of energy and adrenaline from my body and crashed through the door.

I landed with Mello, in a gasping, wheezing, scorched, heap outside the inferno. Before I could even draw in my first untainted breath paramedics and emergency medical technicians were pulling me away from the blaze and strapping an oxygen mask to my face.

I inhaled greedily on the clean, compressed air that was being fed to me through the plastic tubes; letting out a violent shriek of pain and suppressed panic when I finally had enough accessible air in my burnt out lungs. As I writhed in pain from my headache, cuts and burns, I was guided into the back a waiting ambulance with an unconscious Mello. The EMT fought to hook me up to a blood bag for a transfusion as I finally let my body fold under its own weight and exhaustion.

* * *

><p>I must have blacked out after that because when I opened my eyes again I was in an ever familiar hospital bed with the ever familiar bleeping of heart machines and the smell of bleach and other assorted chemicals. My arm was bandaged at the site of the gunshot wound and the site of the gashes and cuts from when I had cracked through the wall. I had another handful of assorted bandages around my body in places I figured to represent burns from the fire. I was still wearing an oxygen mask but apart from that, I appeared to be alright.<p>

I tried to sit up in my bed and although I felt no pain, my head began to spin and I couldn't seem to make my muscles work. I noted an IV running into my unwounded arm and figured that a saline solution wasn't the only thing they were pumping into me. A generous dose of morphine or any of its derivatives was making a nice additive to the liquid concoction being poured into my veins.

"Hey kid," I heard suddenly and turned to face the voice.

"Heyy Matt," I smiled at the recognizable redhead.

"How're ya feeling Gem?"

"Drugged," I chuckled.

"Heh, yeah. You were squirming a couple hours ago so they upped your dosage. They're not too worried about you though. Just your typical smoke inhalation and a couple of first and second degree burns. You're going to be alright."

"What about everyone else? How's Mello and Gevanni? Where's Marsh and Near? Are you alright? How did everyone get out? Where's Linda? And oh my gosh, what happened with this bomb thing and where were you these past ten days?"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down kid. Uh, let's see... Mello's still unconscious. They figure the blast really threw him for a loop. Literally..." I thought for a moment about how Mello had weaseled his way in front of me and taken the full force of the blast in my place. "Uhm, Gevanni came to almost immediately. He's fine. A couple burns. Minor smoke inhalation. He's already back to being his annoying and bossy self. He and Near are discussing something. Neither of them looked too happy. Gevanni's still around here somewhere. I think Near left to go clean up some paper work or whatever he does. Marsh is running around here somewhere too. I think she was correcting the health care system the way she was going on." Matt took a breath and a second to think about my other questions. "I'm fine. Bullet just grazed me. They had me patched up in a jiffy," he tapped his shoulder. "Linda sprained her ankle of all things, but she's fine. She's looking after Marsh."

"How did everyone get out? Before I left the doors were being chained."

"A bunch of the security guys your brothers brought broke out the windows. Once that happened the back-up team your brother had standing by..." Of course he had a back-up team standing by. How silly of me to assume he was unprepared. "...came in right after that and cut the chains with the Jaws of Life or whatever those huge clippers are called. Any of those guys who weren't shot were arrested."

"And now-"

"Yeah yeah I'm getting to it, hold on. 'Kay, so what happened was, and pay attention, I went with those bomb techs to help them dismantle the thing right. I mean, I built it, the least I could do is help them take it apart properly right?"

"Right."

"So I go with them, and this one guy doesn't seem too happy at first right, but he doesn't say anything. So as we're taking it apart I start to notice things. Little things that are different from when I made the damn thing. So I figure whoever grabbed it tried to make little adjustments or whatever. But then deeper into it I realise that this isn't the bomb I made to begin with. It's a duplicate. Someone took the original and made a copy. So I tried to tell them that there was another bomb out there and that this was a fake, so what did they do? They locked me up in that prison cell thing you guys have under your headquarters."

"You were there this whole time?"

"Yeah, but that's not the half of it. They took my cell when they locked me up right, so when I finally got out of there I couldn't even call you guys. I just had to get down to the courthouse to warn you."

"Man, this whole thing was just so crazy."

"Yeah you're telling me."

"I just have one more question."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"That guy that locked you up. He was a brunette, wasn't he?"

"Yeah. Why?"

I just nodded. "You know, I'm really and truly happy you're alright Matt." I extended my arms out for a hug. Matt didn't hesitate. He was beside me in an instant, holding my small, charcoal smelling frame in his long arms. "Alright, now help me out of here. I've got stuff to do."

"Jewel, you just woke up, you're still not well enough to be moving around."

"I'm fine, it's like you said. Just a couple burns and things." I threw the covers back and slid my legs off the side of the bed.

On cue a nurse showed up in the doorway. "Oi, miss. You're not supposed to be up and around yet," she whined in a nasally voice.

"This is getting redundant. It's what, the second, third time, I've been blown up this month? I'm fine," I assured her, reaching down and removing my own IV.

"Hey, you can't do tha-"

I shot the woman a death glare, cutting her off. Matt came up behind her, laid his hands on her shoulders and said quietly, "She's fine. I'll look after her. I'd get her papers ready so she can be discharged."

"I can't allow this," the nurse said again, but the tone of her voice told me her resolve was weakening.

"You can't keep me here," I answered back. "By law you have to let me go," I smiled and steadied my shaky frame against a wall.

"I'll look after her," Matt promised again and winked. "You want to get us a wheelchair?"

The nurse pursed her lips and shot us each one last disapproving glance but left the room anyway to fulfill Matt's request. She returned a moment later and I sat myself down.

"Where to Gem?"

"Oh Matt, you're always there to take care of me eh?"

"Always hun. And oh hey, speaking of which," Matt dug in his pocket for a second and came out with a package of bubblegum and tossed it in my lap.

"You're the best Matt," I reached up over my head for another hug.

* * *

><p>Matt took me through the halls until we found him.<p>

"Gevanni," I called quietly, and he turned to face me.

"I guess I'll give you two a minute," Matt said behind me and left me to wheel myself over to him.

Gevanni hung his head for a moment and then, without looking at me, said, "Hey Jewel. How're you feeling?"

"I'm alright," I said quietly. "And you?"

"I'm fine. Just have to take it easy for a couple days."

"Uh huh. And what's going on at the organization now?"

"Near's doing a cleanup of all the traitors. We're pretty sure we got them all."

"What about that guy? That brunette, the one who was always giving me a hard time and the one who organized the raid on that warehouse."

"Him? Oh yes, Near had him arrested a while ago. Right after we got out of that courthouse."

"Of course he did. And what about you?"

"I'm allowed to stay, but I've been put on probation for the rest of my life."

This small talk was killing me.

"Look, Gevanni-"

"So, you've made your choice then?" he interrupted me.

I paused for a moment, finding the right words. "I have. I am truly sorry Gevanni and I am so grateful for everything you've ever done for me. Maybe in another time and place it would have worked out. But not here, not now." I stood up and leaned in and gave him one last hug; I let my head rest on his chest one last time.

Gevanni turned and left quietly. I wondered how awkward work would be now. But then I figured that it was always a gone show in that building, and neither of us would probably even notice a difference. I shook my head with resignation and sat back down in the wheel chair.

"Mello next?" Matt asked, coming up behind me.

"Mello next."

* * *

><p>Matt dropped me off in his room and then claimed he needed a drink of water and something to eat, leaving the two of us alone.<p>

"I guess I know what I do to you now, every time I end up in the hospital eh?" I asked, staring across at his sleeping form under the blankets.

"What are you talking about?" Mello answered unexpectedly.

"Hey, I thought you were out of it?"

"Naw, I came out of it a couple hours ago," Mello said, opening his eyes and glaring up at me.

"Why didn't you tell anybody?"

"I didn't want to be fussed over," he said frankly and used his arms to pull himself so that he was sitting in an upright position.

"How are you feeling?"

"My head's spinning, and it feels like I've been smoking for as long as Matt has, but hey."

I narrowed my eyes with concern; Mello was acting more than a little curt this afternoon. "Mello, is, is something wrong?"

"It's nothing Jewel," he said throwing his covers off and sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"Mello?"

"Look, its fine. I heard what happened. You got that double agent out of the fire first. I suppose I should just be grateful that you came back for me at all. I mean, we all know how much you hate fires. And besides, traitor or not it was him who got you out of the other fire. It wasn't me."

"Excuse me!" I asked, stunned.

"No, like I said. It's fine. We all know who you care about more."

"You. Have GOT, to be kidding me!" I cried. "Do you know why Mello!" I charged angrily; the both of us standing up to face each other. "Do you know why I got him out first and then went back in for you!" I willed hot, angry tears that were building in the corners of my eyes to hold off for just a few more moments. Mello's face remained blank, so I continued, "I went in for him first because I KNEW I was going to go back for you. I knew I wasn't going to let you die," I cried out. "If I had gotten you out there was no way in hell that I was going to go back into that fire for anyone else. You might've died, he WOULD have died. I'm sorry if you take my concern for his life to mean that I care about him more than I care about you." My voice and the dam that was holding my tears back broke on my last words.

I was unable to stop the cascade; I was unable to stop my cries from shaking my body. I was so hurt; I was entirely cut down at the most fundamental level of my being. How could Mello still believe that there was anybody on this planet... in this universe that I could love more than him?

"That's it both of you!" a small, but commanding voice asserted beside us. A tiny, blonde pixie, not yet taller than five feet was strolling into the room with her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face. "YOU!" my little angel jabbed a slender finger up at Mello, "Why don't you just admit that you were jealous. You should admit that now that you know why mommy got Gevanni out first you feel guilty for jumping to conclusions." Mello's eyes grew wide and his jaw fell in surprise. "And you!" She jabbed the finger in my direction next, "You know how sensitive daddy's ego is. And you don't have to turn on the waterworks all the time." It was my turn to have my jaw drop. "Now both of you!" she slammed her hands back down on her waist. "Stop being so proud and hug each other already!"

I just stared down at her in shock as a stunned silence filled the room.

"She gets that from you, you know," Mello said suddenly and pulled me into a tight, suffocating hug.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Alright, due to the amount of feedback on the last challenge I posed to you guys, I've decided to pose another one :D

'Why is my nickname Snooze?'

The reader that can guess the reason most closely, or the reader who can come up with the most creative reason before I upload the epilogue, will win the challenge :D

Also, I've noticed something after rereading my story here. It was glaringly obvious to me, (probably only because I wrote the thing and picked up on it,) but since nobody's called me out on it yet I suppose I won't go back and edit it; it's kind of a pain and I would have to change quite a large portion. So then I guess this little note is a moot point, but putting it in here makes me feel better about it. So thank you :)


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:** My gosh, I just finished three days of inventory and now I am finished! Talk about exhausting. Especially cause now I have a cold too :S

And the inventory and myself are not the only things that are finished...

EPILOGUE! Last update for this story my people :D

So, the thing is... I was going to have a totally different chapter be the epilogue here (I wrote it and everything,) but I sensed there was going to be too much (oh, what's the word?) displeasure with it. So I've decided to upload it as a one shot and you guys get this for your ending :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own a Death Note but I sure wish I did... Some people. Am I right? Ha-ha I kid ;P ...I do not own Death Note or anything remotely associated with it ;)

* * *

><p><strong>August 24, 2025.<strong>

"What do you think of Joel?" I asked out of the blue. "Or Jaleel?" I chuckled quietly, "Jaleel White was always one of my favourite actors growing up. 'Did I do that?'" I said in a nasally voice, echoing his famous catch phrase. "Or Jett, as in the precious gem," I chuckled again as I made conversation with myself. "What about Jules...?"

"Well you're having a lot of fun with the name thing."

"More than a little," I smiled and winked. "Okay, what about-"

"What about the two of us getting some sleep?" Mello yawned beside me.

"I really want one," I smiled in the dark.

Mello yawned tiredly beside me, "Yeah I know. But can't the names wait until we actually have one?"

'We.' I liked the way that sounded. 'We.'

I chuckled in response and then remembered something. "You know we got a progress report for Marsh today."

"Oh yeah?"

"She's doing perfect work at Wammy's. About the only thing we're waiting for at this point is just for her to be old enough. Near wants to take her on for a trial run next year. Like a practicum you know? She's doing amazingly."

"Of course she is. She's ours."

"Yup, and you're mine," I sighed blissfully. I rolled over under the covers and laid my arm across Mello's chest, my heart and soul swimming in contentment. I nuzzled my nose into Mello's neck and breathed in his intoxicating scent.

A thought occured to me after a second, and using my free hand, I fished around under the covers for just a moment and came out with an old, worn out teddy bear. Virginia, my ever faithful compainion.

I snuggled her into my side and stretched my hand over my head to reach the clock radio. As I did so, the moonlight streaming in from an open window caught and bounced off of a flawless, princess cut diamond on my ring finger. The reflected moonlight cast shooting stars around my room. I leaned over further and hit the radio button on the clock. 'You Want to Make a Memory' by Bon Jovi came through the speakers.

Perfect.

I rolled back, nuzzled into Mello's side, sighed and closed my eyes. As I did I remembered quote from an amazing author, 'You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep at night, because your reality is finally better than your dreams.'

Wise man.

"Hey, Jewel, you asleep?"

I wanted to answer him, but I just couldn't; I was suddenly so tired. A soft sigh was my only response.

* * *

><p>I woke up to the sound of a demanding knock at my front door.<p>

"Let us in Jewel. We have a warrant and we know he's in there."

I lolled my head to the side tiredly and smiled when the only thing left of Mello was a piece of paper pinned to his pillow.

'Matt called, they're outside. I'll be back when it's safe. Take care of yourself.'

The next banging was my door being smashed in as the police used their battering ram. I sighed with acceptance, threw my covers off and slid my legs over the side of the bed with my hands in the air. We'd all been through this a number of times.

What followed next was a collection of 'Clear's' and other assorted shouts as the swarm of officers with Kevlar vests and drawn weapons worked their way through my apartment and finally into my room. I checked the LED readout from the clock on my end table. Seven thirty-five; they were getting earlier and earlier.

"Where is he Jewel! Where is he!" a team of them shouted as they burst through my door and scoped the space with their guns.

"Morning Dom," I said to the officer. This wasn't the first time he'd broken into my room with a band of armed constables.

"Where is he Jewel?"

"You've missed him again boys," I smiled, hands still in the air.

"He was here!" they demanded.

"Yes. Yes he 'was.'"

The shouts quieted and the entire group of them gathered in my door frame waiting for new instructions. Dom nodded his head towards them and one by one they all filed out.

When they were all gone, Dom waited a moment and then said, "You know, you can't keep protecting him."

I laughed so hard a tear formed in the corner of my eye. "Me? What have I done? It's not my fault the lot of you keep showing up late."

"Do you know what you can get for harbouring a fugitive?"

"Prove he was here and I'll take my sentence," I said snidely; my lip twitching after a second as I remembered Mello's note. I shrugged it off though, it was only circumstantial evidence.

"You can't keep hiding behind your brother's name either Jewel. You know that right? He can't cover for you forever."

I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head up at the officer. "Who's hiding Dom? I'm right here." I unfolded my arms and held them out, wrists together.

"We're setting up a stakeout in your apartment Jewel, and we're staying here until he comes back."

"Idiot, Mello isn't dumb enough to come back while you're here."

"No, but he's cocky enough to think he can."

I smiled once more, because he was probably right.

* * *

><p>Dom and his team had themselves set up inside ten minutes. I wasn't even going to bother with the legality of it anymore. Between Mello, myself, Near and Dom's team, we were all breaking so many laws. With me covering for Mello, Near covering for me, and the police staking out my apartment and breaking in at all hours of the morning... The whole situation was just a farce anyway. My own hypothesis suggested that they were merely here to keep up appearances, to make it look like they were actually doing something. That's not to say that they weren't really after Mello, but something told me that at any given point of time they waiting for Mello to come to them instead of the other way around... They were in for a long wait.<p>

I got myself dressed and cleaned up and had breakfast. I was about to say goodbye to them and made my way to the headquarters when I noticed my door hanging limply on its hinges.

"You owe me another door boys. You're lucky my land lady is forgiving. I don't know how many other landlords in the city would appreciate having to replace the same door every other week."

"We'll call a repair man," Dom muttered, inspecting his weapon over my coffee table.

"The number's number eight on the speed dial," I informed, and skulked out my fractured door.

* * *

><p>"What've we got? I asked Near, strolling into his office, dropping down into a spinning leather chair and putting my feet up on the table.<p>

"We have reason to believe socialist extremists are creating a-"

"'Socialist extremists?'" I asked to be sure. "It's not often you get a socialist planning anything upscale."

"We have reason to believe socialist extremists are creating a biowarfare weapon in the northern latitudes of Siberia," Near repeated without missing a beat. "I've sent Gevanni and his team up there to investigate."

"Hmm, chilly."

I watched Near for a while as he built a massive structure with 12-sided and 20-sided dice. Any game I played when I was little always had to be played with a 12-sided die. As a mathematician I understood from a young age how one 12-sided die was much more fair and efficient than two 6-sided die. When you use two 6-sided dice, rolling so that your piece would move only one space, was impossible, and rolling a seven was more probable than anything else. When you use a 12-sided die, every number has an equal possibility to be rolled. Way more fair.

"You know what?" I said suddenly, breaking the silence, "I think I finally figured it out. I think I finally figured out the real reason why L wanted me on that case with him instead of you or Mello."

"What have you come up with?"

"It wasn't my position at Wammy's, it wasn't because I was your sister... Hell, I wasn't even close to the best choice."

"Why then?"

"Teamwork." I paused, smiled and then added, "L was preparing for something to happen to him. I think he was making sure that all of us were going to seek each other out if it came down to that. L knew none of us working alone had a shot, so he made sure that all of us needed each other to beat Kira. He gave me the experience and the information, Mello had the drive and the opportunity to do what you couldn't, Matt had the knowhow, and you? You had the plan and the law on your side. It was all of us; all of us working together."

"You know, you just might be right."

* * *

><p>"You comedians still here?" I asked when the first thing I saw when I walked back into my apartment was a handful of cops primed at each of the windows and behind my patched up door. That repair guy was going to have to start giving me discounts with all the business I was bringing him... I can never seem to get to the door in time.<p>

"We're staying here until we catch him," Dom answered from the kitchen.

"You're going to have to start paying me rent if you want to stay here THAT long." I kicked off my shoes and dumped an armful of files and folders from work onto the living room table and fell back into the couch.

Near wanted me to run down some leads and cross reference some information, but I found my mind wandering. Where was Mello, what was he up to? ...I tapped my long nails on the arm of the chair and adjusted the glasses on my face.

Not in the mood to read for work, I popped a stick of bubblegum in my mouth and trekked into my bedroom to find a recreational book to read. Maybe something the line of Sherlock Holmes, or Oliver Twist... No, the Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The story of a reckless, untroubled kid who only wanted freedom and was always up for a challenge.

I creaked open my bedroom door and there he was, sitting in my window; back against the frame, a chocolate bar hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

I smiled ear to ear, and I could feel the glint in my eye. He knew he shouldn't, but he was arrogant enough to show up anyway. All he wanted was a challenge.

Without breaking stride I closed he bedroom door quietly behind me and slid the lock soundlessly into place. "I don't know about you," I whispered, "but this doesn't exactly qualify as 'safe' in my book."

"Please, those jokers out there can't even catch colds, let alone me," he shot me a sly smile that I returned.

The sun was setting behind Mello's back casting him in a silhouette but leaving a glowing, gold radiance where it got tangled in his blond hair. His steel blue eyes were absolutely radiating and I was melting under his penetrating gaze.

"Heh, you really do love me, don't you Mello?" I teased playfully.

Mello didn't answer with words. Instead, in all seriousness, he slid out of the window sill and crossed the room to me; never once breaking his stern stare. He slid one hand around my waist and cupped my face gently in the other. His touch was so soft and temperate I felt like a porcelain doll which might crack if handled too roughly. Mello leaned down, his face hovering mere millimetres above mine; his steel blue eye, like opals, holding a mystic, electric fire behind them and his cool breath whispering across my cheek, making my eyelashes flutter.

I bit my lip and brought my hands up from my side to Mello's chest, thrumming my fingers against the black leather and wondering how long either of us would draw this out. I sighed and shuddered and felt patches of goosebumps spread over my exposed skin.

"Mello," I whispered and felt him mirror my shudder under my hands.

It was agonizingly painful how he was dragging this out. It was downright cruel, but I knew it was going to be worth every drawn out second.

Finally he closed the distance, his lips barely touching mine. I smiled underneath them and Mello went for it.

It was a deep and passionate kiss. Filled with love and promise, trust and security, understanding and an irresistible affection and lust.

It was perfect.

It tasted like chocolate and bubblegum.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Well, that's it. I hope you liked it guys ^_^ If you've got any questions, comments, or just anything, lemme know :D

Keep an eye out for my next story, and the one shot which should be up in a little bit! :D :D

**A Special Thanks: **I would like to formally acknowledge the following for their glorious reviews, support, constructive criticism and great ideas for my story :)

ryadai, snowflakeyukiharuno, KiriKatana, torixx3, Yuuki-Chan-13, LittleRedAllGrownUp, budha-zebra-cat, Mrs BEEBEE-KHEEL, zogal, Charm0900, The Night's Wish, xLostMelody, HarryPotterMangaGleek, person-over-9000, RavenBlackRoses, allyjj, Bee bop boo, cerca, vocaloidfan1001, Roboraptorxdeathnotefan, So lazy to sign in, anon, and Sad wolf of the happy wolf pac,

Not to mention all those who awesomely favourited/subscribed, and to all my readers in general :D I love you all and without all your interest in this story, it probably wouldn't have happened.

You all made writing this story worthwhile =^_^=


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